How Cognitive Offloading Shapes Our Ability to Detect Inaccurate Information

Digital technology has transformed how information is consumed, increasing exposure to misinformation. Cognitive offloading—the use of external tools like Google or AI to reduce cognitive effort—can enhance task performance but may impair memory and metacognitive accuracy. This study investigates how offloading affects the detection of false information. In a two-phase, between-subjects experiment, participants study 25 facts with or without the ability to offload information. One week later, they evaluate true or false paraphrases of these facts and rate their confidence. Analyses using signal detection theory and hierarchical linear modeling test whether offloading reduces accuracy and metacognitive sensitivity. We expect that reliance on external memory aids will decrease insight and increase susceptibility to misinformation. Results will clarify how cognitive offloading shapes information processing and judgment, highlighting its potential costs in digital contexts where exposure to inaccurate information is frequent.