Psychologists Say Taking Too Many Photos Could Be Affecting Your Brain

This one is just to good not to share.  Read it.  Do you agree?  


"When you rely on photography to document experiences, psychologists theorize that you're subconsciously having the camera remember for you, and your memories may ultimately suffer because of it.
The research: Psychologist Maryanne Garry of the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand says that taking too many photos undermines the way people form memories. Her  published research  says that photography can manipulate both our memories and subjective interpretations of lived experiences. "I think that the problem is that people are giving away being in the moment," Garry  told NPR .
Parents who take tons of photos, for example, have "got a thousand photos, and then they just dump the photos somewhere and don't really look at them very much, 'cause it's too difficult to tag them and organize them," she says. "That seems to me to be a kind of loss."
"If parents are giving away some of their role as the archivist of the child's memory, then they're giving away some of their role as one of the key people who helps children learn how to talk about their experiences."
Similarly, psychologist Linda Henkel conducted a  study  with 28 university students asked to observe 15 objects and snap photos of 15 others. She found that photo-taking led to an "impairment effect" wherein the subjects remembered fewer concrete details of an experience. "As soon as you hit 'click' on that camera, it's as if you've outsourced your memory," she says, adding that taking a photograph can relieve your brain of the need to form memories properly. However, her research has also  found  that steps like properly focusing on the subject and paying attention can significantly improve memory retention among photo-takers."

Complete article -  mic.com/articles/89895/psychologists-say...affecting-your-brain  

Absolutely. The obsession with documenting every event equates to not experiencing the event, from where I sit.

I failed miserably documenting the high school graduation of my youngest because I was invested in what was going on. I learned from that. I can either take pictures, or I can participate. I am unable to do both, and I believe that holds true for most other people, whether they are willing to admit it or not.

I think there's something to that. I've done sports and feel like when I'm seeing a game thru the viewfinder, thru a telephoto lens, I don't see everything that's happening and am thinking more about what I'm trying to photograph and am focused on just part of what's happening. When I'm just watching the game I'm following the play, the line pairings, etc.

Bu you can't go by just one study, you need to look at the body of research, and this is new enough that I doubt this is conclusive yet, but I imagine there will be more to come that might support this.

I agree that there seem to be people taking constant photos to the point they're missing seeing a lot of what's happening, missing some of their life passing them by. Even taking pictures, when I'm out and about somewhere, part of it for me is to spend time just roaming and looking, sometimes thru the viewfinder, and sometimes just looking at the scenery or whatever's going on and enjoying it.

At first I was thinking what a screwy title.  However the article actually was a good read.  Something to chew on at least.  

Good article.  I agree with it.  I've been to many events, birthday parties, weddings, family BBQ's where I had all sorts of photos, but when I slow down and actually think about my involvement, it's almost as an outsider.  My mind was never 100% invested into each of those events.  I was invested in capturing the moments, the photo of someone performing something or showing happyness.  

I think this paradigm, most photographers need to be aware of and try to step out of it from time to time.  

So true.  What a good article that get's you pausing for a moment to think about how you spend your time. 

I'm on the fence with this.  I take photos so I can at any time go back and recall the memories, that day in time.  With out photos that doesn't happen.  Photos don't taken them selves which means, someone is pressing the trigger. 

First of all her sample size is far to small to make any generalizations such as those she has made.  Additionally, she did not disclose how her sample was selected--volunteers or random sample--makes a difference.  I would agree that those who shoot consistently on automatic mode or utilize I-phone may (emphasize may ) not pay much attention to detail.  BUT many photographers who utilize more complex cameras spent a considerable amount of time sizing up a potential site and are often quite alert for potential distractions.  They also must consider white balance, shutter speed, aperture settings, ISO, and depth of field as they consider how they want to manage the image in the camera.  Then, of course, there is post processing where additional attention is paid to detail.  No only do most photographers remember what theyy captured but they often form an emotional attachment with that image and location, a component of attention and memory.  For those who approach photography in that manner, I bet memory as well as attentional skills are enhanced.  Thoughts from another psychologist

David

      this was a good read

You can only be on one side of the camera at a time.  When you are behind it and working on your craft vs snapping photos, your attention can't be in two places at once. 

 This was a good read

This article caught my reflection. Indeed, the long time behavior may affect our brains.

I hate socials. What nonsense to chat to people I do not know?
The info I get from small talk I will have to go google anyway, because some people love to embroider stories.

Family: I do not go overboard with family shots. (Mechanic's car is always broken.)
I wish I did more. When I go back to some shots, it would be times that I never would have remembered.
So photos save memories that would forever have been lost.

They must do their research on Japanese tourists. Since film days they photographed anything that moved, stood still and pointed their camera to absolutely nothing. Weird to observe. Always wondered if they bored other people back home with shots of boring landscape shots through reflective bus windows.

What it does not account for is seeing details of the scene or event that others miss entirely. I don't "overshoot" events but my photography experience has taught me to look at the world differently and see things that others miss. Only when I show the results do people realize some of the things that actually went on, so it is not an either/or situation.
  

You see what I mean though?  I does get you thinking about things.