We’re using smartphones all the time now. To a point that it’s almost scary. Are we using them too much? Does it have a negative impact on our mind and memory? Having this device with so much information in your pocket at all times kind of removes the need to memorise stuff. However, scientists at UCL found that using digital devices, such as smartphones can actually improve your memory.
Using a smartphone is not actually bad for your brain – it might even help you improve your memory skills. Image credit: Dayne Topkin via Wikimedia
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You’ve heard that many times before – devices make us lazy, numb and dumb. However, this new study, involving 158 volunteers aged between 18 and 71, showed that this is not the case at all. Participants had to perform an interesting task. They were shown up to 12 numbered circles on the screen, and had to remember to drag some of these to the left and some to the right based on the value on these circles – this was a simple digital memory test. Every person in this study had to perform this task 16 times and they could use their digital devices. Then scientists tabulated the results.
Scientists observed that participants were using their devices to store information about high-value circles. And this improved their memory for those particular circles by 18 %. Memory for low value circles was improved by as much as 27 %.
This means that reminders actually help improve memory skills. And while this experiment was set up almost as a game, scientists believe that similar observations would be made in casual real life scenarios as well. Devices help us remember the information we saved on them, but at the same time this very action helps remember things that were not on those notes as well.
Dr Sam Gilbert, senior author of the study, said: “The results show that external memory tools work. Far from causing ‘digital dementia’, using an external memory device can even improve our memory for information that we never saved. But we need to be careful that we back up the most important information.”
Scientists say that these memory-aid devices come at a cost of dependence. If your device would fail, you would lose part of your memory skills you’ve developed with those aids. Researchers say that we need to be careful about how we use digital devices to store critical information. We need to recognize the shortcomings of smart devices and put effort into developing our memory skills.
People love talking about “digital dementia” – condition where our smart devices are making us dumb. It’s not the case. You have a certain cognitive capacity you feel the need to use. That is why if you are using smart devices, you will start multi-tasking or memorising different information. We just need to avoid depending on devices too much, because it comes with risks. Devices may not be there when we need them the most.
Source: UCL