If you want to remember an event, don't take a picture. Selfies could be subtly reshaping your memory.

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How well will he actually remember this?
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▼ Last year I visited the Hermitagein St Petersburg, Russia – one of the best art museums in the world. I was expecting to serenely experience its masterpieces, but my view was blocked by a wall of smart phones taking pictures of the paintings. And where I could find a bit of empty space, there were people taking selfies to create lasting memories of their visit.
For many people, taking hundreds, if not thousands, of pictures is now a crucial part of going on holiday – documenting every last detail and posting it on social media. But how does that affect our actual memories of the past – and how we view ourselves? As an expert on memory, I was curious.
Unfortunately, psychological research on the topic is so far scant. But we do know a few things. We use smart phones and new technologies as memory  repositories. This is nothing new – humans have always used external devices as an aid when acquiring knowledge and remembering.
Writing certainly serves this function. Historical records are collective external memories. Testimonies of migrations, settlement or battles help entire nations trace a lineage, a past and an identity. In the life of an individual, written diaries serve a similar function.
Memory effects (▪ ▪ ▪)

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