cognitive processing in a teachnological world

How has the digital world impacted cognitive processes?

• technology has impacted cognitive processes in both possitive and negative ways

• some argue that digital technology can enhance cognitive function, like video games enhancing perception.

• some also argue that it can reduce attention spans aand scattered thinking, declining the ability to think analytically.

What is on example of technology on cognitive procsses?

Memory has been one of the focus. As search engines are close to external memory sources, digital technology is changing the way infromation is stored.

What is one study to use for technology and cognitive processes?

sparrow et al 2001

Aim method result of sparrow et al 2001

Aim: to investigate the availability of internet search engine, like google, effect on memory.

Method:

• university students were asked to type 40 memorable trivia statements into a computer

• group 1 told the computer would save the information

• group 2 were told the computer would erase the information.

• half of the participants in each group were asked to remember the facts, the other was not,

Results: participants who believed the computer would save the information performed worse on a memory recall test, those who belived the information would be erased did better. participants were all better at remembering which folder a file was saved in than remembering the content itself.

instead of committing infromation to out individual memory, digital tech has changed cognitive strategiest to prioritise the location of information rather than content.