Still making a shopping list? Psychology suggests it’s a sign of sharper thinking

In the age of grocery apps, voice notes, and same-day delivery, writing a shopping list by hand can seem almost archaic. Yet some people still swear by it, pen, paper, neatly organized, sometimes even grouped by aisle. According to psychologists, this habit may quietly reflect higher cognitive skills than most people have. Far from anachronistic, the ways in which people create and use shopping lists provide insight into planning ability, memory and self-control, skills strongly linked to intelligence and long-term decision making.

Why do psychologists care about everyday habits?

Psychologists have long argued that intelligence is not simply reflected in test scores or academic achievement. This is also evident from how people handle everyday tasks.

Research in cognitive psychology shows that small, repeated behaviors often reflect deep mental strategies. “How people load information, plan, and reduce mental clutter tells us how efficiently their brains work,” says Harvard University psychologist Daniel Schechter, whose work focuses on memory and everyday cognition.
Shopping lists are one such example. They seem simple, but they require foresight, organization, and cognitive sobriety.

Planning is a symbol of cognitive power

One of the strongest explanations comes from research on executive function – the set of mental skills that helps people plan, prioritize, and control impulses.Studies led by psychologist Adele Diamond, including her widely cited work published on executive functions Annual Review of PsychologyShow that people with strong executive control are better at dividing tasks into steps and anticipating future needs.

Writing a shopping list requires exactly this. This means thinking ahead, anticipating what you’ll need, and resisting the urge to rely solely on memory. Diamond explains in his research, “Planning before action reduces cognitive load and improves decision quality.”
In simple terms, people who use lists do not rely on willpower at the store. They have already thought.

Lists protect the brain from overload

Another reason shopping lists matter is memory management. Cognitive psychologist George Miller’s classic paper, Magic number seven, plus or minus twoDisplayed that working memory is limited. Trying to remember a long list of items competes with everything else going on in a busy supermarket.Recent research on cognitive offloading – including studies by psychologist Ivan Risko – shows that writing down information frees up mental space, allowing the brain to focus on better decisions rather than memorizing.

As Risko notes in his work, “External reminders help people use their mental resources more efficiently.” In other words, writing lists is not a weakness, it’s a smart solution.

Better Lists, Less Impulsive Decisions

Psychologists also link list-making to self-control. A study published in Consumer Research Journal found that shoppers who entered stores with written lists were less likely to make impulse purchases and more likely to stick to planned goals.

This is consistent with research on delayed gratification and self-regulation, areas that psychologist Walter Mitchell has studied extensively. Their work showed that the ability to plan and delay immediate temptation is strongly associated with better long-term outcomes.

Using a shopping list creates structure. This transforms shopping from an emotional, impulse-driven act to a goal-oriented one.

Why do handwritten lists still matter?

While digital lists also work, some psychologists suggest that handwriting offers additional benefits. Research by Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer, published in psychological scienceIt was found that writing by hand results in deeper processing and better memory compared to typing.

Handwritten lists often force people to think more deliberately about what they need rather than just adding items mindlessly. This deeper association may explain why people who prefer pen and paper lists often remember items better – even without constantly checking the list.

What this habit really says about intelligence

Psychologists are careful to clarify that writing a shopping list does not automatically make one smarter. But when habit is consistent, it reflects qualities associated with intelligence: foresight, organization, and efficient mental processing.

“It’s not just about the list,” Shekhar says in discussing everyday experience. “It’s about the strategy behind it.”

In a world built around speed and convenience, taking a moment to plan still shows mental discipline.