How digital life has changed the way we remember things

Collaborative Post | Memory, as a cognitive function, has always been vital for human survival. Over centuries, we’ve made significant efforts to elucidate the mechanisms of memory formation, storage, and recall. These investigations, however, took an unexpected turn when a new phenomenon – digital life – began to emerge. This digital revolution has significantly changed the way we remember, permeating every facet of our existence, from learning and socialisation to work and entertainment.

Photo by Taan Huyn on Unsplash

External memory - decor and writing

Humans have always had ‘external’ as well as internal memories. For example, we help ourselves to remember things by writing them down, or turn pictures of holidays or significant events into stylish wall decor. These types of external memory are physical and tangible in ways that digital photos and online journals aren’t. While the physical photos and journals haven’t gone away,  the click-and-forget mechanism of digital images on social media platforms has radically changed the way we remember things. Our recollections have become more episodic than ever before - rather than looking back on solid, tangible episodes, we see a carousel of editable images and text. Virtual-external memories are much more fluid and much less ‘solid’ than physical-external memories.

The Google effect and outsourcing of memory

The digital revolution has also spawned a new cognitive phenomenon known as the 'Google Effect'. Also known as 'digital amnesia', this is the tendency to forget information that can easily be found using internet search engines such as Google. Our reliance on the internet to remember facts for us has, in turn, affected our ability to recall information, essentially outsourcing our memory to the digital sphere.

This outsourcing, while convenient, raises questions about the adverse effects of relying heavily on digital tools for recollection. Does this habit encourage a lazy memory? Does it shape our abilities to form long-term memories? These are concerns that need to be addressed as the phenomenon gains ground.

Digital memory and the self

Modern digital life has also changed how we view ourselves, offering a new perspective on self-identity. In the pre-digital era, our memories formed the backbone of our identities. However, the portrayal of our identities is now largely mediated by the web. Social media platforms serve as digital diaries where we pen down our experiences and thoughts. The comments, likes, and shares that our posts attract become a part of our digital memories and, by extension, become part of our self-identity. ​

The future of memory in digital life

While it's undeniable that digital life has altered the way we remember, it's uncertain what the future holds for memory in an increasingly digitalised world. Memory scientists and psychologists are grappling with this rapidly evolving field, seeking to understand the complex interplay between human memory and digital technology. The challenge lies in striking a balance between the advantages offered by digital tools for memory recall and the preservation of the organic, natural capacity to remember.

Conclusion 

The phenomenon of digital memory continues to shape our lives, challenging traditional perceptions and spawning new questions. As we become more embedded in the digital realm, our memories continue to adapt and evolve alongside these technological advancements. The changes may be swift and sometimes alarming, but they form part of a historic shift as human cognition expands its frontiers to incorporate the ever-changing digitalised world. 

In essence, the evolution of memory in the digital age is not merely a change of medium. It fundamentally redefines memory, creating an emergent form that intermingles with digital platforms. This is the new face of memory, one visage of a profoundly digitalised human experience.

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Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post.