Google Effect

We are less likely to remember information that we believe is stored digitally and easily searchable, because our brains offload the effort of recall to the device.

Memory seems to work partly by assessing how accessible information is. When we know something is saved in a searchable format, the brain treats it as already 'known' and deprioritises it for long-term storage. This frees up cognitive resources but can leave us with a false sense of knowing.

• After bookmarking an article, you cannot remember any of its key points because you assumed you would look it up again.
• You cannot recall a friend's phone number because it is stored in your contacts, even though you once knew it by heart.
• A student who saves a PDF of a research paper struggles to remember its main finding during an exam because the paper felt permanently accessible.

• Summarise saved information in your own words.
• Ask yourself what you actually remember before searching.
• Review saved material regularly rather than stockpiling it.
• Treat your devices as a safety net, not a second brain.