Are we taking too many pictures? An investigation of the impact of smartphone photography on memory

Smartphones are a fundamental part of modern life and have resulted in a vast increase in photo-taking. How smartphone use can affect cognitive processes, including memory, is poorly understood, but research shows taking photographs can result in a photo-taking-impairment effect. Across 3 laboratory experiments, we aimed to replicate the impairment effect and shed light into the underlying mechanisms by manipulating encoding type (intentional vs. incidental) and recognition stimuli (zoomed-in vs. complete paintings). During the presentation of a mock museum tour, participants observed or photographed presented artworks. In Experiment 1 and 3 following intentional encoding, a photo-taking impairment effect impacting accuracy and confidence was observed. In Experiment 2, this impairment effect did not persist when encoding was incidental. Zoomed-in images did not modulate the photo-taking-impairment effect in Experiment 3. Results are discussed in relation to cognitive offloading and attentional disengagement hypotheses and appear to oppose attentional disengagement as a contributing mechanism.