Onto something

“It's obvious that we document our lives to keep our memories from fading, but how much is too much? Are we taking too many pictures?

“If you look at recent research by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University, you might think the answer is yes. Her research has suggested that taking photos can actually impair your ability to recall details of the event later, despite – and likely because of – the effort spent taking excessive photographs.

“‘What I think is going on is that we treat the camera as a sort of external memory device,’ Henkel says. ‘We have this expectation that the camera is going to remember things for us, so we don’t have to continue processing that object and we don’t engage in the types of things that would help us remember it,’ says Henkel.

“Of course, we’ve felt the need to take photos for decades, when almost every household in Western Europe and America owned a camera.

“But the shift from film to digital has also changed why we take photos and how we use them.

“Research has confirmed what many of us suspect – that the primary role of photography has shifted from commemorating special events and remembering family life, to a way of communicating to our peers, forming our own identity, and bolstering social bonds. While older adults adopting digital cameras tend to use them as memory tools, younger generations tend to use the photos taken on them as a means of communication.

“So how often should we take photos? Unless you’re a professional, Henkel suggests limiting the amount of photos you allow yourself to take and to be more selective in order to get more of the benefits with fewer of the potential costs.

‘“If you’re on vacation and enjoying some beautiful site, take a couple pictures and put the camera away and enjoy the site,’ she says. ‘Later, go through them, organise them, print them out, and take the time to reminisce with other people. Those are all things that help keep memories alive.’” - Tiffanie Wen, BBC (2015)