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Faizan
Google has grown to be much more than a search engine, with all-encompassing initiatives that Google Glass device, to game-changing programs such as Project Loon, which holds the potential for providing Internet access to third-world countries from a network of floating balloons. However, the ubiquitous search engine Google created has entered into the common language, with the word "Google" becoming a generic word for search, much as the term "Xerox" is used for any sort of photocopy or "Kleenex" for any sort of disposable tissue. As a company so large, with so many initiatives that impact every aspect of our lives, there is no doubt that Google goes far beyond any other corporation in having a major impact on society, how we interact in our everyday lives and even how our brains physically evolve.
include everything from driverless cars, to the
The Google Effect
Psychologists refer to the phenomenon of reliance on Google and other search engines to remember information, as opposed to natural memory, as the "Google effect." Research conducted at Columbia University tested how people remember information, and showed that people are more likely to remember where they found a piece of information, rather than the information itself. The so-called Google effect can be seen as a positive actually, when considered in conjunction with the "Flynn effect," which documents that IQ scores have risen steadily over the past 100 years. While the Flynn study, conducted at University of Aberdeen, attributes the increase in IQ to improvements in diet and health, certainly the Google effect – and new ways to access large amounts of information – is a contributing factor to a more information-rich society.
An Evolution in Memory
The Google effect is ushering in a dramatic evolution in human neural circuitry. While memorizing textual information is done less frequently, an argument can be made that reliance on the Internet and search engines allows the brain to be used for more worthwhile pursuits, as opposed to storing large amounts of facts that are otherwise readily available. In fact, access to the Internet and easy search engines as a sort of "external memory" allow humans to have quick access to vast amounts of information that would not otherwise be possible, while using their organic memory for more specialized and fruitful endeavors.
A Physical Increase in Brain Function
A study at UCLA showed that Web search activity may actually improve brain function. The study showed that Web searching actually triggers the part of the brain that controls decision-making and complex reasoning, and in particular, may have benefits for older adults. The study showed that a Web-savvy group, when reading a book, showed more brain activity than other readers. According to the study, searching the Web requires people to make more choices as opposed to simply reading a book, and this engages the brain's cognitive circuits to a greater degree.
Global Impact
Besides providing the world with an easy and ubiquitous search tool and better access to information, Google's philanthropic activities have an enormous impact on the world. Millions of dollars in corporate donations have gone to support noteworthy charitable organizations such as Medecins Sans Frontieres, NetHope, Partners in Health and Save the Children. Other initiatives have given Google Glass tools to nonprofits, grants to improve the study of computer science in public schools and donations to fight human trafficking and child abuse. Google Earth's outreach program has also had a positive impact on the environment, by allowing organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund to protect Sumatran tiger cubs and for relief workers to have a readily available tool for crisis response.
include everything from driverless cars, to the
The Google EffectPsychologists refer to the phenomenon of reliance on Google and other search engines to remember information, as opposed to natural memory, as the "Google effect." Research conducted at Columbia University tested how people remember information, and showed that people are more likely to remember where they found a piece of information, rather than the information itself. The so-called Google effect can be seen as a positive actually, when considered in conjunction with the "Flynn effect," which documents that IQ scores have risen steadily over the past 100 years. While the Flynn study, conducted at University of Aberdeen, attributes the increase in IQ to improvements in diet and health, certainly the Google effect – and new ways to access large amounts of information – is a contributing factor to a more information-rich society.
An Evolution in Memory
The Google effect is ushering in a dramatic evolution in human neural circuitry. While memorizing textual information is done less frequently, an argument can be made that reliance on the Internet and search engines allows the brain to be used for more worthwhile pursuits, as opposed to storing large amounts of facts that are otherwise readily available. In fact, access to the Internet and easy search engines as a sort of "external memory" allow humans to have quick access to vast amounts of information that would not otherwise be possible, while using their organic memory for more specialized and fruitful endeavors.
A Physical Increase in Brain Function
A study at UCLA showed that Web search activity may actually improve brain function. The study showed that Web searching actually triggers the part of the brain that controls decision-making and complex reasoning, and in particular, may have benefits for older adults. The study showed that a Web-savvy group, when reading a book, showed more brain activity than other readers. According to the study, searching the Web requires people to make more choices as opposed to simply reading a book, and this engages the brain's cognitive circuits to a greater degree.
Global Impact
Besides providing the world with an easy and ubiquitous search tool and better access to information, Google's philanthropic activities have an enormous impact on the world. Millions of dollars in corporate donations have gone to support noteworthy charitable organizations such as Medecins Sans Frontieres, NetHope, Partners in Health and Save the Children. Other initiatives have given Google Glass tools to nonprofits, grants to improve the study of computer science in public schools and donations to fight human trafficking and child abuse. Google Earth's outreach program has also had a positive impact on the environment, by allowing organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund to protect Sumatran tiger cubs and for relief workers to have a readily available tool for crisis response.
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