Using digital devices, such as smartphones, could help improve memory skills rather than causing people to become lazy or forgetful, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.
I never use phone contacts because I remember all the phone numbers I could possibly need (partly because almost nobody uses phone nowadays so I don’t have to remember a lot of them). I never accept calls unless I know the number or expect a call either, but I don’t need contacts for that.
The article clearly explains that using an external memory device allows users to offload low importance information and focus on remembering high importance information:
This was because using the device shifted the way that people used their memory to store high-importance versus low-importance information. When people had to remember by themselves, they used their memory capacity to remember the most important information. But when they could use the device, they saved high-importance information into the device and used their own memory for less important information instead.
So…without looking at your mobile phone…what is your moms phone number? I remember knowing at least 10 phone numbers pre mobile era.
I never use phone contacts because I remember all the phone numbers I could possibly need (partly because almost nobody uses phone nowadays so I don’t have to remember a lot of them). I never accept calls unless I know the number or expect a call either, but I don’t need contacts for that.
The article clearly explains that using an external memory device allows users to offload low importance information and focus on remembering high importance information: