'Google effect' leads to changes in memory

Using the internet “does not mean we’re becoming less intelligent,” Sparrow said, but that we are becoming pretty sophisticated at finding the best information.

Since the advent of search engines, humans are reorganizing the way they remember things, said Sparrow.

The human brain relies on the internet for memory in much the same way a person might rely on the memory of a friend, family member, or co-worker. We remember less through knowing information itself than by knowing where the information can be found.

The research reveals that we forget things we are confident we can find on the internet. We are more likely to remember things we think are not available online. And we are better able to remember where to find something on the internet than we are at remembering the information itself.

According to Sparrow, a greater understanding of how memory works in a world with search engines has the potential to change teaching and learning in all fields.

Perhaps those who teach in any context, be they college professors, doctors, or business leaders, will become increasingly focused on imparting greater understanding of ideas and ways of thinking, and less focused on memorization, said Sparrow. And perhaps those who learn will become less occupied with facts and more engaged in larger questions of understanding.

Methodology

The research was carried out in four studies.

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