HL Technology and cognition

• Memory in the Digital World

  Digital Offloading

  Google Effect 

  Hyperlinks and Memory 

  Benefits 
• Digital Offloading 

  • Tendency to store information externally (smartphones, cloud storage) 

  • Reduces cognitive load but may affect memory formation
• Google Effect 

  • Also known as "digital amnesia" 

  • Tendency to forget information easily found online 

  • Affects transactive memory systems
• Hyperlinks and Memory 

  • Can disrupt linear reading and information processing 

  • May lead to shallower understanding of content
• Benefits 

  • Access to vast amounts of information 

  • Digital reminders and organization tools enhance prospective memory
• Technology and Thinking

  Multitasking and Cognitive Load 

  Information Processing 

  Problem-Solving and Creativity 

  Critical Thinking

  Spatial Cognition 
• Multitasking and Cognitive Load

  • Digital environments encourage multitasking

  • Can lead to decreased attention span and cognitive overload
• Information Processing 

  • Skimming behavior in digital reading 

  • Potential for decreased deep thinking and analysis
• Problem-Solving and Creativity 

  • Access to diverse information can enhance problem-solving 

  • Overreliance on technology may hinder creative thinking
• Critical Thinking

  • Easy access to information requires stronger critical thinking skills 

  • Need to evaluate source credibility and manage information overload
• Spatial Cognition 

  • GPS use may affect spatial memory and navigation skills 

  • Virtual environments can enhance spatial reasoning in some contexts
• Technology, Emotion, and Cognition

  Social Media and Emotional Processing 

  Empathy and Digital Communication 

  Anxiety and FOMO 

  Positive Emotion Amplification 

  Cognitive-Emotional Interaction in Gaming 

  Digital Mindfulness 

  Neuroplasticity and Digital Experiences 
• Social Media and Emotional Processing 

  • Constant connectivity affects emotional regulation 

  • Social comparison on platforms may impact self-esteem and mood
• Empathy and Digital Communication 

  • Text-based communication may reduce empathy cues 

  • Video calls and emojis attempt to bridge this gap
• Anxiety and FOMO 

  • Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) linked to social media use 

  • Constant notifications can increase anxiety and stress
• Positive Emotion Amplification 

  • Social support through online communities 

  • Access to mood-enhancing content and activities
• Cognitive-Emotional Interaction in Gaming 

  • Video games can enhance cognitive skills (e.g., spatial awareness, problem-solving) 

  • Also elicit strong emotional responses, affecting motivation and learning
• Digital Mindfulness 

  • Technology-assisted mindfulness practices 

  • Potential to enhance emotional regulation and cognitive focus
• Neuroplasticity and Digital Experiences

  • Regular engagement with digital technologies may reshape neural pathways 

  • Potential long-term effects on cognitive and emotional processing