Are We Googling Our Way to a False Sense of Confidence?
Studies show how instant search results distort our self-perception
Search engines give you practically any answer you need in fractions of a second. The process is so quick and effortless that there’s barely a distinction between coming up with an answer in your own head and having the answer given to you by Google.
According to new research, this blurred line may be impacting our sense of self and giving us false confidence in our own knowledge and ability. When you combine an ambiguous feeling that you might know an answer with Google’s immediate ability to show you the answer, it’s easy to believe you knew a fact all along. Our minds are overlapping more and more with the technology that assists them, and the seams are gradually disappearing.
You might find this a little scary or you might find it a little dazzling. Either way, it’s good to be aware of how your psychology is adapting to the internet.
Online omniscience
In October 2021, Adrian Ward — a researcher at The University of Texas at Austin — published a paper with…
