Do search engines make us lazier?

Argued that the very presence of search engines slightly changed the principle of people's thinking. A researcher at Columbia University, Betsy Sparrow, believes that we now remember much less information if what we need is available on the Web. On the other hand, we quickly recall where exactly the data we are interested in can be found on the web.

On this basis, the question of what these studies mean is that we are becoming more lazy and stupid, or that the Network is becoming our external memory?

Research by Sparrow proves that the way that our memory uses to find information on the Web is almost the same by which memory gives us information about people from the past.
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“Since the advent of search engines, our memorization mechanism has changed a bit,” says Betsy. “Our memory relies on the Internet in the same way as on the knowledge of our family members or colleagues. We remember less and less information, but more and more places to find it. ”

I do not know about you, but I am sure that there is much more information on the web than in the heads of my friends, colleagues and family members (guys, no offense!). It is like having a friend - the Great Soviet Encyclopedia. The main thing is to know which source is trustworthy and which is not. There are too many tales, rumors and hoaxes on the Web, and very often we are dealing with inaccurate information or half-truth.

I prefer to think that Sparrow’s research means that we are more like sophisticated librarians than lazy students: we cannot know everything, but we know where to find it when we need it. That is, we can not say that we do not use our memory. It's like with calculators - because their presence in our life did not prevent us from doing some arithmetic in the mind?

I think computers and the Network should be used in order to shift to them all the routine and too complicated work. This will free our brains for critical thinking and creativity — the only things computers cannot replace.

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Do you think you have become less memorizing something, knowing that, if necessary, always go to the Web and check yourself?