Sparrow et al. (2011)

Who and when

Sparrow et al. (2011)

Method

Laboratory experiment

Aim

To investigate the effects of search engines on memory

Participants

• 60 Harvard students

• Follow up had 34 Columbia Uni. students

Procedure

• Participants were shown 40 pieces of trivial information that the students then typed into a laptop.

• this time, the laptop responded with either: Your entry has been saved, your entry has been erased, or your entry has been saved to … (folder name)

• After the participants were given a list of statements, they were asked three questions: “Have you seen this fact before?” “Was this fact saved or deleted?” and “Where was this fact saved?”

Findings

• When the fact was flagged as deleted by the computer, the participants recalled the information better

• When the fact was flagged as saved and where it was saved, participants recalled the location better than the fact itself

Conclusions

We are more likely to remember things we think are not available online and to remember where to find information rather than the information itself.