This is the question that I was asked this week on BBC Radio. A recent study from researchers at Columbia University found that people are less likely to remember what they read online, but they could remember where they read it.
These questions were raised: Is this a good thing? Are computers making us lazy? Are we reluctant to think for ourselves when you can Google it?
My own research sheds light on these issues. In a study of several hundred young people, I looked at the way technology was impacted the way they remember and process information. We first identified whether people were active or passive users of digital technology by using a questionnaire that reflected their interactions with different internet forms, including Facebook and Twitter. The average number of hours a person spent consumed with these activities was the basis of their classification. The answer was clear: digital technology does change the way your brain works.
But it is not a bad thing. Active technology users were better at processing information in parallel. They could quickly adjust to a change in an information stream and picked up on what they needed to do. In contrast, passive technology users processed information successively and found it easier to focus on a single target at a time.
In a modern workplace where multitasking is standard, technology can give us an edge. The old school way of remembering facts and information is not necessary. With Google at our fingertips, we don’t need to.
But what we do need to know is know how to use this information. And for that, we need Working Memory-your ‘active’ memory, the memory that you use to work with information. Working Memory is the skill needed to draw connections between information, to quickly shift from one task to another, and to calmly manage multiple streams of information.
So is technology making our brains lazy? No, I would suggest that it is making us more efficient. Instead of having to fill up our mental ‘space’ with lots of information, this space is now freed up so focus on other things. Like how to best succeed in the workplace with creative and efficient ideas using what you know!
I wanted to find out if working memory influences our happiness together with the British Science Festival. If you have high working memory, will you be more likely to see the glass half full, than half empty?
WHAT WERE THE FINDINGS?
1. People who have high working memory are more optimistic. They are more hopeful and confident about the future compared to those with low working memory; they are more likely to expect the best possible outcome from a situation. Why is this finding important? There is substantial evidence that people with a high sense of optimism are less likely to suffer serious illness; also, when they do fall ill, it is less severe and they are better able to cope with their condition, and as a result recover faster.
The take-home message? High working memory is an important feature in preventative health because it can actually help keep you in better physical condition.
2. People with low working memory spend more time brooding over life events. They often have a poor coping style in a time of crisis and instead of facing their problems straight-on, they will often abandon their goals instead.
Why is this finding important? People who are ‘brooders’ are more likely to experience depression. They tend to focus on the negative aspects of a situation, which affects mental health and increases stress levels.
The take-home message? High working memory prevents you from fixating on a problem and allows you to be proactive to plan ahead and solve the problem.
So working memory does influence happiness for the better and this improves our mental and physical well-being.
READ IT IN THE NEWS: BBC, DAILY MAIL
So this week I have burnt the pasta (twice!), put the milk away in the cupboard with the glasses, and locked the car and house keys in the car. If you asked me in my six-month of pregnancy whether pregnancy brain is a myth, I would say NO!
Some pregnancy women blame such actions as the result of the lack of sleep. However, it seems that I can’t use sleep deprivation as an excuse for my forgetfulness. Studies have found that the lack of sleep is not actually linked to memory loss and forgetfulness in pregnant women.
Thankfully, there is a reason for my new (and unwanted!) absent-minded brain. Scientific studies show that during pregnancy, a woman’s brain changes*. For starters, the hippocampus, which is linked to spatial memory and long-term knowledge, actually shrinks during pregnancy. This means that a pregnant woman’s sense of direction is not always as reliable as it used to be.
Why does the pregnancy brain shrink? The brain shrinkage is the result of hormone changes during pregnancy, especially in the final trimester. Some hormone levels, such as progesterone and estrogen, rise and fall during pregnancy. We need a perfect balance of these hormone levels to use working memory-our ability to incorporate new information with long-term knowledge stores. When estrogen are very high, such as during the last trimester of pregnancy, working memory is not as efficient. This makes simple tasks like remembering that the milk goes in the fridge (and not the cupboard) or juggling multiple tasks at work a little more difficult than usual.
Happily, brain size goes back to normal after the baby is born. Pregnant women can be confident of performing to their usual cognitive capabilities, but be aware that the pregnancy brain means that they may be more affected than usual when taking on additional responsibilities.
From TRAINING YOUR BRAIN for Dummies (due Dec 2010)
* Galea et al. (2000). Hormones and Behavior.
I will be speaking at the British Science Festival this year on ‘Working Memory: The New IQ’ and thought I would give you a little preview of some of the topics that I will cover:
*The Genetics of Working Memory
What makes Gordon Ramsay, chef extraordinaire and owner of multiple restaurants around the globe, so successful, while his brother ended up in a jail for drug dealing and then homeless on the streets of London? Is Gordon Ramsay’s success in life related to his working memory? Do the genes we inherit play a role? Identical twins have identical genes, whereas fraternal twins share about half their genes. I have conducted one of the few scientific studies on identical and fraternal twins to understand the role of family in determining our working memory.
*The Spiral of Working Memory
It may come as a surprise to find out that working memory is linked to clenched fists and uncontrollable rage. In fact, boys with poor working memory are at greater risk of physical aggression and juvenile delinquency. I am working with juvenile delinquents and we will learn how their poor working memory led them down an increasingly dangerous path of crime. Evidence from my research demonstrates this spiral effect: young boys with poor working memory make criminal choices which damage their working memory (e.g., through alcohol, drugs, etc), which lead to worse decisions and more extreme criminal behavior.
* Tyranny of Technology?
With our ever-increasing reliance on word processing to help us write grammatically correct sentences, Blackberries to remind us of our appointments, speed-dial so we don’t have to remember the phone numbers, a universe of information available with a few keystrokes, are we impairing our working memory? What is the trade-off: what we do give up when we rely on new technology? Do Twitter-driven brevity and YouTube clips reduce our ability to engage in everyday life? In fact, technology can dramatically improve our working memory. There have been an influx of computer games and programs that promise to train your working memory muscle to Olympian proportions. But do they deliver? We have devised the world’s first working memory game that is clinically proven to improve grades for students as well as IQ. We look at the science behind different programs to find out what works and what doesn’t.
*The Twilight of Working Memory
Most of us worry about losing our memory as we grow old. I know I do. Will I forget significant events, meaningful relationships, even or how to perform simple daily activities? Understanding what we can do to train our working memory can have a tremendous impact in preventing memory loss and delay the signs of dementia.
READ THE SCIENCE FESTIVAL BLOG
Spare a thought for Jean who has tried all sorts of diet programs from Weight Watchers to the cabbage-soup diet. Every attempt has resulted in short-term success but long-term failure. Her doctor has given her several warnings about how her obesity will shorten her life. Yet she can’t seem to shed the weight.
You might be wondering: So what does working memory have to do with this?
More than you think. There are a growing number of studies linking working memory to dieting patterns. A study of healthy females found that those who dieted more frequently were more likely to have low working memory levels equivalent to those with anxiety and clinical depression. This means that a preoccupation with weight loss leads to working memory problems. These working memory problems can manifest themselves in a range of ways, from trouble focusing in conversations to forgetting simple instructions; even forgetting to stop by the store to pick up milk on your way home.
But before you pick up that third chocolate doughnut, this is not an endorsement to overindulge for your brain. Instead, if you are following a diet and eating plan, it is important to pick one that maximizes your working memory instead of reduces it. Another study found that a High-Carbohydrate/Low Fat diet is more likely to increase working memory skills compared to a Low-Carbohydrate/High Fat (such as the Atkins).
So eat for your working memory: pass on the bacon and pick the baked potato instead.
READ THE ARTICLE IN THE DAILY MIRROR
Susan Boyle’s break-down and odd behavior during the final is not surprising. Like her, many people who struggle with learning disabilities can find it very hard to cope in difficult situations. Susan’s learning disability came about because she was deprived of oxygen at birth.
Scientific studies have found that even minor oxygen deprivation during birth can cause serious damage. People find it hard to stay focused on the big picture, remember important information, even keep track of what they need to do. Their language skills may be worse compared to their friends and they can struggle to keep up with conversations. Difficulty in processing and integrating information can cause someone to over react or explode over a well-meaning comment. As a psychologist, I receive lots of emails from adults, like Susan, who are frustrated and have even lost their jobs because they can’t remember things.
At the core of these difficulties is working memory. Working memory is our brain’s post-it note. We use those little yellow slips of paper not only to jot down important information, but also to work with it. Working memory has been found to be more important than IQ.
We use working memory in everyday situations, like staying focused during a meeting, solving a complex problem, responding to questions, even saying the right thing when we are distracted or feeling emotional. People with good working memory are able to make better decisions under stress and overcome frustration, and are less likely to be overwhelmed. As is clearly the case with Susan Boyle, working memory problems do not affect your ability to sing like an angel.
Imagine being in Susan’s position in front the whole world, and not having the ability to focus! What would you do? What would any of us do?
Can Susan improve her working memory to deal better with the stress of worldwide celebrity? Yes, she can. There is a lot of exciting evidence that shows that our brain can actually grow depending on what we do. The best way to grow our brain is through brain training.
Brain training has received a lot of interest lately and there is evidence that it works. One brain training program that I helped to develop to train working memory is JungleMemory(www.junglememory.com). In clinical trials, students go from a C to a B, or a B to an A in just 12 weeks! Just imagine what Susan can do with the right help. The sky’s the limit!
I was recently asked to contribute a piece for the British Psychological Society on working memory in the workplace. Here is an excerpt:
In the workplace, we use working memory to stay focused during a meeting, to creatively solve a complex problem, to respond to questions thoughtfully, even to recall the name of an important client when we are distracted at a meeting. Those who are better at remembering and working with new information do better in business. They tend to have higher paying jobs because they are better suited to adapt to the challenges before them. Able to make clearer judgments, they can more quickly come up with appropriate solutions. They are able to make better decisions under stress and overcome frustration, and are less likely to be overwhelmed.
But what can we do actually improve our working memory? There is a lot of exciting evidence of our brain’s plasticity: that it can actually change – shrink or grow – depending on what we do. For example, there are studies that show taxi drivers brains ‘grow on the job’ as they build up detailed information they need to navigate around a city. If you want to start seeing improvements, you need to do something. Here are some top tips to unlock your working memory and better in your job
1. Crossword puzzles
Research shows that people stay sharper and more mentally focused when they pick up a pencil to do a daily crossword. Never done one before? Start with an easy one and keep challenging yourself with progressively harder ones.
2. Sudoku
Puzzles like sudoku are mini workouts for your brain: they train you to think quickly and will result in faster reaction times and memory functions in a range of daily activities.
3. Doodling
We usually associate doodling with not paying attention but in fact recent evidence suggests that doodling can help us stay on track. When we are bored, perhaps at a long meeting or dull conversation, we are more likely to daydream, which will distract us from what we need to listen to. However, doodling can stop daydreaming without affecting our listening skills, and as a bonus, we are more likely to remember the information. So get out your pencils, just don’t let anyone see you!
4. Brain training
Brain training computer games are at an early stage of development and can result in better working memory and IQ. But be cautious as the program may just be training you to perform well in the test, and not actually improve job performance. One program that has shown to make a difference in the real world is JungleMemory. This training program, endorsed by the Psychological Corporation, and targets working memory in key learning activities, such as reading and math. Pilot trials on several hundred children indicate improvements in the classroom as well. An adult version is currently in development.
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I work for a medium-size company and I try to greet everyone with their name when I arrive at the office or when I leave in the afternoon. Some days I have noticed that I really struggle to recall some people’s names. It is even harder to remember when I haven’t seen a person for a long time. It feels like I’m running a list through my mind, trying to locate the name that fits with the face that I know. Do you have some tips on how I can maybe work or improve on recalling a name that is stored in my memory? Why does it take longer to remember names on some days than on others? Benjamin
If you have known your employees’ for a while, matching a name to a face in your company won’t be difficult. This is because your their names are stored in your long-term memory. The process of remembering their names has now become automatic–like your journey to work. You know it so well that you can focus on other things such as talking on the phone, listening to the radio, mentally preparing for the day ahead, all without getting lost on your way to work. Every so often, we need a little extra effort to do something that is automatic. For example, if you had to stop by the store on your way to work, you may have to spend more time focusing on your driving because it is different from your usual route.
The same thing happens with remembering names. You may already know everyone’s names but on some days you may have more on your mind than usual. This can make it difficult to remember someone’s name. Here is where working memory comes in: you will have to keep someone’s face in mind while flipping through a mental list of names.
You can train yourself to remember names faster by repeating the names and mentally visualizing their face while you are doing something else. Start with an activity that doesn’t require a lot of mental effort: mow the lawn or tidy up while reciting the names and thinking of their face. Make it harder: do a crossword puzzle or play sudoko and say the names while picturing their face.
Do you have a tip to help Benjamin? Leave a comment with your ideas.
My job requires me to network with people but I always struggle to remember more 10 people’s names! Help!
It’s not surprising that you have trouble remembering more than 10 people’s names. The average adult can only remember about 5 or 6 bits of information: this means names, numbers, directions, items on your grocery list, and so on. If you want to increase this number, you can use a couple of different strategies.
- Make associations. Match someone’s names with something they are wearing. This will give you a visual cue to trigger your memory. Some people prefer to use rhymes but then they find they forget the rhymes! If you match the person’s name with something visual, you will be more likely to remember it.
- Say it out aloud! Repeating their name after you hear it will reinforce it in your memory. Working memory retains an acoustic trace of information that you can use to reconstruct forgotten items. For example, if you remember that someone’s name begins with ‘T’, you can use the acoustic cue to remember the name.
- Write it down. If all else fails, then carry a little notebook and write down their name with a reminder of what they are wearing or what they look like.
