Passwords add up to information overload for brain

Remembering passwords has become such a problem for people trying to live in the modern information age, that for years there has been a thriving industry of password management programs available.

Security experts tend to agree that rather than using easy-to-remember (or ‘weak’ passwords) or any words that can be found in a dictionary, use a combination of nonsense words and numbers, and throw in a symbol for good luck. Need help remember it? Believe it or not, it’s okay to write it down as long as you don’t keep the information in your wallet or purse (for a debit or bank card), or on your computer monitor (for a computer password). Most password attacks come from an external source, not your coworker or spouse.

Increasing use of PIN numbers and passwords has left the average person struggling to remember at least 20 digits or characters on a daily basis.

With codes necessary to access e-mails and internet sites, pay for goods while shopping with chip and PIN cards, telephone banking, accessing voice mails and numerous other common activities, a new study by ICM found that one in five people has lost money, important data and even their job as a result of forgetting important pass details.

According to a survey of more than 1,000 adults, the average person now has to instantly recall 21 digits or characters from memory, but at least 40 per cent of people say they have forgotten codes at vital moments.

Many also found themselves in trouble at work with one in eight people losing important data or e-mails as a result of forgetting crucial codes. Two per cent of people claimed to have lost their jobs as a consequence.

So prevalent is the use of chip and PIN cards now that industry analysts say 85 such transactions are carried out every second across the UK.

But the report also found pass-code activated technology can take up as much time as it can save, with a third of people saying forgetting a number or password had cost them an hour and a further one in ten saying they had spent more than three hours trying to resolve problems caused by such forgetfulness.

Independent psychologist David Lewis, who studied the ICM findings, recommended various mnemonics techniques for those struggling to recall passwords. He said: “For every technological advance made, we just as often end up taking a step back in terms of making our day-to-day lives easier.”

Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 7 Oct 2005
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