In this day and age, technology is seizing the lives of many. Digital usage has been deeply integrated into most people’s daily routines, leading to reliance on it for fundamental tasks. Coined by the Kaspersky Lab in 2015, the psychological phenomenon often referred to as digital amnesia or the Google effect describes people being prone to forgetting information or certain memories because they know it is easily accessible by a digital device or the internet. Similarly, three well-known universities, including Harvard, researchers recognized this phenomenon, naming it the Google effect.
The root of digital amnesia stems from our brain’s natural cognitive process. The human brain has become dependent on digital devices to have information readily available to us. While the brain should be processing and retaining information, it in- stead prioritizes remembering how and where to find that in- formation later on. The brain is similar to a muscle and is highly adaptable; therefore, the reliance on digital tools can deter their structure and function. Over- relying on these digital resources will have a negative, long-term effect. It can impair critical thinking, decrease concentration and alter brain structure.
In the past few years, people have admitted to forgetting online information shortly after reading it because they know it is easily accessible if they need it again. This was proved by the Kaspersky Lab study done in 2015. Many people no longer know their family or friends’ phone numbers because they trust their phones to hold the information for them. In a case of medical emergency, this can be threatening, as people may not know the phone number of someone they need to get in contact with.
“I don’t see a point in memorizing my schedule for school or soccer games be- cause I know it is saved on my phone,” Walpole High School sophomore Etta McPhee said.
One of the most common examples of digital amnesia is passive photo-taking. For many people, taking photos of an object or event they are interested in is an instinct. This habit aims to strengthen that memory; however, that photograph will cause them to struggle to remember the details of it. The brain believes that since it has been digitally captured, there is no need to store it in its memory. While people think taking a photo of a moment is helping them remember, it is actually doing the opposite.
“I tend to put less effort into my notes if a teacher says they are posted on Google Classroom, I don’t worry about missing in- formation because I know I can just open my computer,” WHS sophomore Ruby Banks said.
Another often seen example is instead of attempting to recall basic information, people resort to Google. This is commonly seen with the names of an actor in a movie. Instead of trying to remember the name, they utilize Google.
Digital amnesia emphasizes the growing problem of society’s dependence on technology. By outsourcing information to devices, people are diminishing their ability to retain knowledge and think critically. The overuse of technology threatens to diminish cognitive skills. At this rate, future generations may find themselves unable to think without digital support, ultimately placing human memory at risk.
