Typing on IM - Cognitive Analysis

[gusl]

I am usually a very good speller. But as I started using IM a lot, I started getting sloppier: actually, it's like my hands are typing independent of me. So we can see at least three parallel modules in my brain: one spitting out ideas, one spitting out words and one spelling them. When I am too focused on the ideas, the spelling process becomes automated (done unconsciously) in order to keep up, so the spelling suffers.
An interesting consequence is that now that I'm learning Dutch, I'll sometimes type Dutch words and patterns with similar sounds, such as "de" for "the" or "oo" instead of "o".

But my name is probably my strongest unconscious automatic interference: when I type any word starting with "gus", I will almost automatically type "Gustavo".

Comments

[crasch.livejournal.com]

I think this is the one you want:

http://www.livejournal.com/users/crasch/143369.html

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I found it after browsing 210 entries on my second-tightest-filter. I *knew* it had to be yours, but I somehow missed it when browsing your page.

[(Anonymous)]

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/07/29/terrorist.market.ap/index.html

[spoonless.livejournal.com]

I am usually a very good speller. But as I started using IM a lot, I started getting sloppier: actually, it's like my hands are typing independent of me.


yes, exactly. I was thinking exactly this a few weeks ago after reading something I had written on a newsgroup. I can spell fairly well if I have to. But I've noticed that when I type stuff up online or in IM I just don't care... and I've also noticed the sort of auto-completion that goes on unconsciously that often throws me off. My hands definitely think in sequences, if they start to type a familiar sequence they just go on ahead without me. I guess it's kind of like hardware lookahead optimization. :)

Human-powered auto-complete

[rainbrot.livejournal.com]

I sometimes take advantage of the human-powered auto-complete feature when selecting passwords. I combine word/command/function fragments that flow naturally from my fingers to create unique passwords that I can type extremely quickly.

Re: Human-powered auto-complete

[spoonless.livejournal.com]

Wow... that is exactly how I pick my passwords too. I didn't know anyone else did that.

I was explaining to someone else just a few months ago about how it's impossible for me to recite my passwords if someone were to ask me for them. My fingers know them, but I don't know off the top of my head what the letters are without trying to type it on a keyboard.

I store it as a kinesthetic memory rather than an auditory or visual memory.