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Technology may change cognition without necessarily harming it

Nature Human Behaviour volume 5, pages 973–975 (2021)Cite this article

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What is the long-term impact of technological advances on cognitive abilities? We critically examine relevant findings and argue that there is no clear evidence for detrimental lasting effects of digital technology on cognitive abilities. But we also suggest how digital technology may be changing predominant ways of cognition.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Kristen Duke for thoughtful comments on an earlier draft.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Lorenzo Cecutti & Spike W. S. Lee

  2. Department of Philosophy and Department of Psychology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Anthony Chemero

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Spike W. S. Lee

Authors
  1. Lorenzo Cecutti
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  2. Anthony Chemero
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  3. Spike W. S. Lee
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Spike W. S. Lee.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Peer review information Nature Human Behaviour thanks the anonymous reviewers for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Cecutti, L., Chemero, A. & Lee, S.W.S. Technology may change cognition without necessarily harming it. Nat Hum Behav 5, 973–975 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-021-01162-0

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