What is the 'Google Effect' and why should you care?

My father is 80 years old and he still remembers the mobile number of many of our family members. He works on Sudoku in the newspapers and cross-checks the answers on the next day.

As in my case, I do not even know the mobile number of my second SIM.

Recently, when I started observing myself, I could identify that I was losing my focus and swaying away in the distractions. If I open a Microsoft browser to do something, many times, I will be lost in the news feed. Unfortunately, all the browsers know my interest and when I open the browser,..booooooom.. I get the content that evokes interest in me and I am lost.

If I open Youtube, the algorithm knows how to catch my attention and I will be lost in the sea of information.

Luckily, I do not have Facebook or Instagram accounts. (I had the accounts and deleted the apps from my phone).

I’ve been thinking about this time recently because my attention, focus, ability to learn, and memory were all amazing. But, sometimes that is not the case anymore. I’m still smart and feel motivated, but I have noticed my focus and attention span are not what they used to be.

When I look around, the same is the case with the others. Even in the work, we can see people constantly looking at Instagram.

“To be able to hear what's really happening in the world, you have to block out 99% of the noise”. Jonathan Franzen

I read an article in Science magazine about a phenomenon named the 'Goole Effect'.

'Google Effects on Memory: Cognitive Consequences of Having Information at Our Fingertips'. Department of Psychology, Harvard University.

Following is the gist of the article.

1. Ease of Accessing Information: The Internet, particularly search engines like Google, has significantly eased the process of accessing information. People no longer need to exert significant effort to find information, as they can quickly "Google" any query or lookup information online【53?source】.

2. Constant Information Access: The ubiquity of devices like laptops, tablets, and smartphones has led to a scenario where people have constant access to information. This convenience has become so ingrained that not being able to immediately find information can feel like withdrawal. The Internet has essentially become an external memory source【54?source】.

3. Transactive Memory Source: The study explores the idea of the Internet as a primary transactive memory source, a system where information is stored collectively outside of individual memory. It suggests that when people are faced with questions, they are more likely to think of searching online rather than relying on their memory【55?source】【56?source】.

4. Effect on Memory Recall: Experiment 2 in the study found that people are more likely to remember information they believe they won't have future access to. Conversely, when participants thought information would be saved or could be looked up later, their effort to remember it was reduced. This finding aligns with the concept of directed forgetting, where people don't recall information they believe they won't need later【57?source】【58?source】.

5. Recall of Information Location vs. Content: Experiment 3 revealed that participants had better memory for the location of where information was saved (or if it was erased) rather than the information itself. This finding indicates that knowing where to access information has become more prioritized in memory than knowing the information itself【59?source】.

6. Adaptive Use of Memory: Experiment 4 showed a tendency for participants to recall where to find information rather than the information itself when they expect the information to be continuously available online. This suggests an adaptive change in memory usage, where memory is more about knowing where information can be found than the information itself【60?source).

7. Symbiotic Relationship with Technology: The study concludes by noting a growing symbiotic relationship between humans and computer tools. People are increasingly depending on digital and online tools for information, leading to a change in how memory is utilized – focusing more on where information is stored rather than the information itself【61?source】.

The article titled "Digital dementia in the internet generation: excessive screen time during brain development will increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in adulthood" from PubMed provides several insights:

1. Impact on Brain Development and Disorders: Chronic sensory stimulation from excessive screen exposure affects brain development, increasing the risk of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral disorders in adolescents and young adults.

2. Similarities to Early Dementia Symptoms: Excessive screen time has effects akin to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) symptoms seen in early stages of dementia, including impaired concentration, orientation, acquisition and recall of memories, social functioning, and self-care.

3. Alteration of Brain Matter: Excessive screen time alters the gray matter and white volumes in the brain, increasing the risk of mental disorders and impairing memory acquisition and learning, which are known risk factors for dementia.

4. Increased Risk of Early Onset Dementia: Chronic sensory overstimulation during critical developmental periods can lead to accelerated neurodegeneration in adulthood, including amnesia and early onset dementia.

5. Projected Increase in Alzheimer's and Related Dementias: The study predicts a significant increase in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) rates from 2060 to 2100, potentially a four-to-six-fold increase compared to current estimates, largely due to the effects of excessive screen time on individuals born after 1980.

I am not saying technology is bad, but the question is are we using technology as a tool that helps us or are we slaves to our devices?

It is time to think.