The artical is nonsense. Sure it might be possible to be so busy with the camera as to miss the moment. But it doesn't have to be that way. Taking pictures doesn't detract from your enjoyment of the moment unless you're fanatical about it, and more than a little obsessive.
Th problem with her analysis is the long term memory is pretty fluid. To the point that what you remember may not be what happened. There is no archival part of the mind that gives you the kind of total recall an image does. The simple fact is, memories for the most part are at best incomplete, and open to suggestion. They aren't a hard record of what was there. A photograph is.
And honestly, I find people who suggest I can't be in the moment while holding a camera to be quite irritating. The intimation is that they are wholly there, and I'm not. My answer to that is "prove it." It's quite possible I am both more in the moment than you are, and also taking pictures.
Quote: Similarly, cognitive psychologist Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University, conducted a study in 2014 with 28 university students where they were asked to observe 15 objects and snap photos of 15 others in a museum. When they were tested the next day, they were less able to remember details of objects that they had photographed. Henkel found that taking photos led to an “impairment effect” where the subjects remembered fewer concrete details of an experience.
This is such an obvious slight of hand....for many reasons.
The researcher didn't allow those who snapped the photograph the same amount of time with the object as those who just snapped a picture.
The researcher didn't allow people to look at the images they snapped when describing the object.
I guarantee you 10 years down the line, the guy who has just studied the image is going to remember a lot less about all 15 objects than the guy snapped a few images and reviewed them.
I can also guarantee that if I have as much time to study an object as someone else and just snap a quick photo to help refresh my memory, even two weeks later I will remember more.
This stands as another example of defining parameters of a study to prove a point, that isn't actually supported by the data.
It's academic hogwash. And it was the thought of having to endure a whole undergrad degree studying this kind of nonsense that had me abandon a career in psychology. Way to much sloppy research, way to many assumptions made on incomplete data. Way to many studies that sort of side stepped the issues the psychologists thought they were studying.
That being said , I had a short time to visit with my grand kids this year and I didn't pick up the camera. I completely understand wanting un-interrupted family time. But usually that's not the choice. Usually there's down time, and time for both.
The really silly thing about this article is that the main point is "don't spend all your time taking pictures, experience other things as well." Duh. Way to go Einstein. And the big revelation is that the author used to be so focussed on taking images that the world passed her by. That doesn't make any sense to me at all. I've had cameras since forever. I learned to both experience the world and document it. Maybe the author might want to give developing that skill a try.
I hate reading fly by night articles like this where the obvious thing is that the author needs to be trained in photography, not to ignore the world, but to increase their enjoyment and understanding of it. But I agree, there's no guarantee any cell phone user will necessarily develop those skills. Photography is like meditation. It takes some mental discipline, and some training, but in the end it enhances your world. But in todays world, everyone thinks "pick up a cell phone and you're a photographer." No training needed.
The whole point being, these psychologists can't really comment on photgraphy, because they aren't photographers. And they think everyone with cell phone is.
The other take away from this is. If you do have an intense family or group experience that will require your full attention, hire a pro. Just another one of the many alternative universes ignored by our ivory tower psychologists.
Last edited by normhead; 12-27-2018 at 07:20 PM.