As pictures affect our memory

We make pictures to memorize some events or places, and come back to them in the future. But photos only prevent memorization.

We remember fewer details

Henkel Linda (Linda Henkel), a professor of psychology from Fairfield University in Connecticut, conducted an experiment to examine how images influence our perception and memoryPoint-and-Shoot Memories: The Influence of Taking Photos on Memory for a Museum Tour.. For this group of students went on a tour of the university art museum. Students were asked some subjects to photograph, while others simply consider.

The next day, Henkel checked, they will remember what they see. It turned out that the photographed objects are stored and worse in smaller details.

When we take photos, we hope that we will remember it for the camera. We do not comprehend what he saw and did not experience it emotionally, because this work we gave the camera.

But unless the photos are not in order and the need to strengthen our imperfect memory? It would seem so. The problem is that we always look forward to what's next, next, next, and do not have time to feel what is happening. We are so busy taking pictures that will never look at the resulting images.

We are worse than remember what they saw, when they themselves in the frame

Henkel then conducted a second experimentMuseums and Visitor Photography: Redefining the Visitor Experience.. At this time, students were asked to make two kinds of pictures separately exhibition objects and pictures in which children stand next to these items. Participants then viewed pictures and told us that they have remembered.

It turned out the fact whether we have ourselves in a frame, changes our perception. If you are in the picture, you move away from the experience the moment as if you were an outsider, watching himself from the outside. If you do not have a picture, you return to the view in the first person, to re-experience the event from his point of view, so remember more.

Henkel discovered that photograph, without losing the memories of their experiences, still can. This happens when we close up shoot some elements of objects. Memories of an enlarged detail of the same clear then how about the other parts of the subject.

Try it for a day does not make any photos and see the world with my own eyes and not through the camera screen. You may be bored and uncomfortable, but you can look at everything in a new way.