Here’s one more reason to avoid Facebook after a few martinis: People are way more likely to remember a status update than they are to recognize lines from a book or even faces, according to a recent study published in the journal Memory & Cognition. Sure, that means you should think before you post, but it also means you can learn a ton if you “like” the right things online.
Researchers at University of California, San Diego recruited undergraduate students to complete a series of memory studies where they were shown either Facebook posts or lines of published text. They found that their accuracy and confidence in recognizing Facebook posts was much stronger than their ability to remember the other sentences. The posts were so memorable that the researchers were curious how it would compare to facial memory. It turned out that the results held up: Facebook posts were more memorable than faces. In fact, the difference in memory strength was the same as what you would see between healthy individuals and those with amnesia!
Chances are that not a lot of thought was put into each post, but ironically, that might be why it sticks with you. “What comes to mind easily is also easy to remember,” says lead study author Laura Mickes, Ph.D., experimental psychologist at the University of Warwick and visiting scholar at UC San Diego. When you shoot off a Facebook post, it’s usually unfiltered and spontaneous, unlike the text from a book. And according to researchers, that conversational tone might be what makes it so memorable. “Off the cuff thinking just comes easier,” says Mickes.
The good news: You can fill up your newsfeed with smart brands and people to pretty much guarantee you’ll remember their words of wisdom. Here’s who you should ‘Like,’ STAT:
The Goal: Live a healthy, fabulous life.
Like This: Women’s Health
The Goal: Finally pay off your credit card bills.
Like This: LearnVest
The Goal: Know an endless amount of celebrity gossip.
Like This: E! Online
The Goal: Spend more time in the kitchen.
Like This: Candice Kumai, author of Cook Yourself Sexy
The Goal: Give your career a boost.
Like This: Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of Facebook
More from Women’s Health:
Social Networking: Don’t Overshare
How to Be a Social (Media) Climber
Can Facebook Make You Gain Weight?
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