Study: Most Americans suffer from ‘Digital Amnesia’

[Wilikon]

Quick, what’s your aunt’s cellphone number? Or your best friend’s from college?

Better yet, tell us what you did on Monday? You may have a tough time remembering because the Internet is wrecking your memory. That’s according to a new study from Kaspersky Lab, which finds Americans can’t commit data to memory because the answers are just a click away.

The term, according to the lab, is called “Digital Amnesia” — the experience of forgetting information that you trust a digital device to store and remember for you.

“The results reveal that the ‘Google Effect’ likely extends beyond online facts to include important personal information,” researchers wrote in the report. “Many consumers are happy to forget, or risk forgetting information they can easily find — or find again online.”

For instance, people 45 and old are more likely to get answers from the web, then write the fact down or choose to forget it once they’ve used it, the survey found.

Ninety-one percent of those surveyed said they use the Internet as an online extension of their brain. Forty-four percent said their smartphone serves as their memory; everything they need to remember is right there in their pocket.

“In many societies, having access to the Internet feels as stable as having access to electricity or running water,” says Dr. Kathryn Mills, with the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London.

“It would be interesting to explore further whether individuals in places where the Internet is unreliable feel greater need to remember contact details or facts, or have a different perspective on information access.”



http://wtop.com/health/2015/07/study-most-americans-suffer-from-digital-amnesia/

[arbitrage001]

Next step of human evolution. A matter of time before human/machine hybrid breeding program starts.

[Possum577]

How did they conduct the test? I'm not yet convinced that the people in the study were bad at remembering thing to begin with.

The real test is if you can remember your public bitcoin address!

[freemind1]

I do not think it happens only to the Americans, the citizens of other countries also suffer.

[Lauda]

This is quite interesting. Even though I'm not going to question their testing methods, I can confirm this as I've been closely observing people and their speech patterns over the years.
What about people who do not care about such information? I only know 2 cellphone numbers, of which 1 is mine. I've never bothered to learn them (even before I had internet access).

However, I'm very good at remembering information that is only 'a click away'.

The real test is if you can remember your public bitcoin address!

I know the first 6 characters:
1Lauda... 

[jayce]

I've got a hard question by my teacher, then the question couldn't be solved with my memory and made me can't slept. And now, if I get anything question, just search the answer with google. Search engines have two effects, one is help you to solving problem, and the other is make your intelligence going down.

[Lethn]

I've got a hard question by my teacher, then the question couldn't be solved with my memory and made me can't slept. And now, if I get anything question, just search the answer with google. Search engines have two effects, one is help you to solving problem, and the other is make your intelligence going down.

It depends on how you use it, if you're just googling the answer then yeah all you're doing is memorising the fact and not actually learning anything. What I find however is that if I actually search for a real explanation on how to answer a maths question for example then that explains everything for me and I can work the rest out myself.

The internet has actually managed to help me fill a lot of gaps in my shitty maths teaching I had when I was younger and it's because people now post proper explanations up of how to calculate stuff and so on. It all depends on how you use the internet, people who just go straight for the answer are being lazy.

[jayce]

I've got a hard question by my teacher, then the question couldn't be solved with my memory and made me can't slept. And now, if I get anything question, just search the answer with google. Search engines have two effects, one is help you to solving problem, and the other is make your intelligence going down.

It depends on how you use it, if you're just googling the answer then yeah all you're doing is memorising the fact and not actually learning anything. What I find however is that if I actually search for a real explanation on how to answer a maths question for example then that explains everything for me and I can work the rest out myself.

The internet has actually managed to help me fill a lot of gaps in my shitty maths teaching I had when I was younger and it's because people now post proper explanations up of how to calculate stuff and so on. It all depends on how you use the internet, people who just go straight for the answer are being lazy.

Yeah technology developments just make people become very dependent on that, then we don't need to go to library or book store again. But if you are accustomed to using internet to just help you get more explanation for your question, I think you can be very dependent on it sooner or later.

[Lauda]

Yeah technology developments just make people become very dependent on that, then we don't need to go to library or book store again. But if you are accustomed to using internet to just help you get more explanation for your question, I think you can be very dependent on it sooner or later.

Define the difference between being dependent on a library/book store and being dependent on internet (i.e. Google in this case).

It depends on how you use it, if you're just googling the answer then yeah all you're doing is memorising the fact and not actually learning anything. What I find however is that if I actually search for a real explanation on how to answer a maths question for example then that explains everything for me and I can work the rest out myself.

The internet has actually managed to help me fill a lot of gaps in my shitty maths teaching I had when I was younger and it's because people now post proper explanations up of how to calculate stuff and so on. It all depends on how you use the internet, people who just go straight for the answer are being lazy.

Well the majority waste time on cat videos and whatnot. There are a lot of things that I can find on the internet, things that I can't find in books (in my area).
Watching something like this is definitely better than watching cats.

[countryfree]

I've read about that before. I'm afraid this is quite true, but it's not limited to Americans. Being an older guy (not that old) without a smartphone, who enjoys the freedom of not being connected, not being tied to anything, I feel pity towards the younger generation who seems unable to live more than 5 minutes without looking at their phone.

[countryfree]

One (merely) remembers the location of information instead of the information itself.

Not even sure of that. You don't need to actually, as your browser cache and history will remember it for you. And the future is getting worse with sat nav systems and autonomous cars in a few years. The young will have no idea of where they are. I've already seen young people totally unable to read a map.

[CEG5952]

One (merely) remembers the location of information instead of the information itself.

Not even sure of that. You don't need to actually, as your browser cache and history will remember it for you. And the future is getting worse with sat nav systems and autonomous cars in a few years. The young will have no idea of where they are. I've already seen young people totally unable to read a map.

Me too. They'd be like "Siri get me to this location." I don't know man. The future generations might be just too spoiled on tech gadgets and what Einstein said is happening.

[panju1]

Why does anybody need to remember a phone number (except emergency contacts) anyway?

[jayce]

Why does anybody need to remember a phone number (except emergency contacts) anyway?

Then don't you remember your best friend phone number since you call or text him/her frequently? I think we don't need memorize emergency contacts in our head, just write in the note book, because it be used only in emergency case.

[Lauda]

Then don't you remember your best friend phone number since you call or text him/her frequently? I think we don't need memorize emergency contacts in our head, just write in the note book, because it be used only in emergency case.

Why would I write something in my notebook, when it is already memorized in my phone? I can't picture a emergency situation where my phone is dead and I carry a notebook with me.
I can't remember his phone number when he's on speed dial.

Not even sure of that. You don't need to actually, as your browser cache and history will remember it for you. And the future is getting worse with sat nav systems and autonomous cars in a few years. The young will have no idea of where they are. I've already seen young people totally unable to read a map.

Me too. They'd be like "Siri get me to this location." I don't know man. The future generations might be just too spoiled on tech gadgets and what Einstein said is happening.

Well I guess this really depends on how you use it. The majority are probably using it in a wrong way, hence the digital amnesia. They probably look up a question quickly, and as soon as they take a glance at the answer they exit. If they were doing more research on the subject, some knowledge would probably get memorized.

[jayce]

Why would I write something in my notebook, when it is already memorized in my phone? I can't picture a emergency situation where my phone is dead and I carry a notebook with me.

Have you heard about someone lost his phone where it had important notes and contacts there? Then it will be an advantage to write that in note book, and put in safe place.

I can't remember his phone number when he's on speed dial.

Its okay then if you don't remember it, I never make any speed dial in my phone.

[CEG5952]

Why does anybody need to remember a phone number (except emergency contacts) anyway?

You will never know when it will come in handy. I always remember a friend's number just in case I'd need their help. Emergency contacts are another thing. A friend's number is optional.

[GeorgeFeb]

I've read about that before. I'm afraid this is quite true, but it's not limited to Americans. Being an older guy (not that old) without a smartphone, who enjoys the freedom of not being connected, not being tied to anything, I feel pity towards the younger generation who seems unable to live more than 5 minutes without looking at their phone.

Ha, same here, I don't have any use for smartphone but reading books, people all around going & texting, playing stupid games while walking in Subway - tremendously stupid behavior!

I'd not even need a cell phone if I'd have a sum of money I need, left alone Internet!

[Lauda]

Have you heard about someone lost his phone where it had important notes and contacts there? Then it will be an advantage to write that in note book, and put in safe place.

Have you heard about backup services? All my contacts are stored with Google, pictures with Dropbox (both aren't good with privacy, but that's irrelevant) and Evernote keeps a backup of my notes.
I don't really see how I could lose it, if I correctly use a smartphone. No wonder it is called, smart. The problem is that the phones are starting to become smarter than their users, and I don't know a lot of people who have backups similar to mine (as mentioned). You might be onto something here.

Although, who says that you won't forget where you left that notebook? What's preventing someone from accessing important information?

Its okay then if you don't remember it, I never make any speed dial in my phone.

Yeah, I guess this depends on the individual. I know a few people that know a lot of numbers. I just never bothered trying to remember those, although I know the numbers of my parents. That should be sufficient I assume.

[Wilikon]

Have you heard about someone lost his phone where it had important notes and contacts there? Then it will be an advantage to write that in note book, and put in safe place.

Have you heard about backup services? All my contacts are stored with Google, pictures with Dropbox (both aren't good with privacy, but that's irrelevant) and Evernote keeps a backup of my notes.
I don't really see how I could lose it, if I correctly use a smartphone. No wonder it is called, smart. The problem is that the phones are starting to become smarter than their users, and I don't know a lot of people who have backups similar to mine (as mentioned). You might be onto something here.

Although, who says that you won't forget where you left that notebook? What's preventing someone from accessing important information?

Its okay then if you don't remember it, I never make any speed dial in my phone.

Yeah, I guess this depends on the individual. I know a few people that know a lot of numbers. I just never bothered trying to remember those, although I know the numbers of my parents. That should be sufficient I assume.

Do you believe your smart phone makes you smarter?