You�re Multitasking? That�s Costing Your Cognitive Brain
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| Wired Man by Mike Licht on Flickr |
You have a big load of work to get done tonight? I hope you are not planning on multitasking. In the face of all the technology available to use in this day and age, it might seem that you�ll actually get some progress done. But, studies show that juggling many tasks at a time is actually slowing us down. It allows our brain to disconnect from the important things and impair our cognitive control. About 2% can actually multitask efficiently. And the other 98%? Sorry, but you are just lowering your IQ by 10 points.
As a student, I understand the stress of societal and parental expectations because I, too, have stayed up late to study for a test or finish an assignment. Before conducting research on this topic, I could say I was the king of multitasking. Although, I may have felt productive I still asked, �Why does my homework take this long? It is 1:00 am!� Well, from personal experience, staying up late was not just because of needing more self control but rather from distractions. Imagine this, you have your favorite sing along song on, you are messaging your friend on Facebook, maybe even texting, and last you have twenty-one math problems to complete. Now, every time you get a message, your computer and/or phone notifies you with a DING! Yeah sounds great, like look how far technology has advanced. Although this might be great, how about we really think about this. Once you are about to get an idea and figure out a problem you keep on getting a message from your friend every 15 seconds. But, let�s be honest, you probably don�t even notice the impact; that multitasking is actually affecting your brain by stopping neural connections.
As a student, I understand the stress of societal and parental expectations because I, too, have stayed up late to study for a test or finish an assignment. Before conducting research on this topic, I could say I was the king of multitasking. Although, I may have felt productive I still asked, �Why does my homework take this long? It is 1:00 am!� Well, from personal experience, staying up late was not just because of needing more self control but rather from distractions. Imagine this, you have your favorite sing along song on, you are messaging your friend on Facebook, maybe even texting, and last you have twenty-one math problems to complete. Now, every time you get a message, your computer and/or phone notifies you with a DING! Yeah sounds great, like look how far technology has advanced. Although this might be great, how about we really think about this. Once you are about to get an idea and figure out a problem you keep on getting a message from your friend every 15 seconds. But, let�s be honest, you probably don�t even notice the impact; that multitasking is actually affecting your brain by stopping neural connections.
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| Author: Brews Ohare |
In teenagers, the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for reasoning and judgement, is not fully developed like in an adult. Rather, teenagers use the amygdala, the part responsible for responding to fear, threats, and danger. This makes it more difficult for teenagers to make good judgements in situations that call for decision making and distractions, and these distractions are happening everywhere. Teenagers are on their electronic devices during school, work, driving, walking, in the bathroom, you name it. In addition, since teenage brains have not fully developed the ability to control impulses, this can be a teenager�s biggest distraction.
Multitasking teaches us to stray away from persistence and rather to just switch to the next task, tab when things start to get difficult. Also, it forces us to endorse in a habit of filling every spare moment with something �productive�. But, your �productivity� causes your brain to shut down neural connections. To restore theses connections, you will have to repeat the thought process, aka �spreading activation.� The bouncing back between tasks slows down the actual task. This was proven in tests conducted at Stanford University by communication professor Clifford Nass, and his two colleagues, Eyal Ophir and Anthony Wagner. Three tests were conducted that measured heavy media multitaskers on their ability to ignore, to recall information, and to switch between tasks. In all three tests, non multi-taskers performed better. Multitaskers do not pay attention as well, control memory, and/or switch from one task to another as well as those who complete one task at a time.
�But I always listen to music when I am doing my homework, is that wrong?� Well, A little music never hurt anyone, and according to NPR, they agree. Multitasking can be good in small amounts. A lot of the time people say that music can help them focus. This could be because it keeps you alert but still allows you brain to block it out and remain connected with the main task. This works because it is not forcing itself into your consciousness. Unlike cellular devices and other IM websites that extract you from your learning and concentration, every time it buzzes.
But music is an exception, not the rule. Most media use is taking away from our learning, disconnecting us from productivity, and forcing bad habits. Researchers are still studying whether media multitaskers are born with the inability to concentrate or if they are damaging their cognitive mind by juggling too much.
Bibliography
Multitasking teaches us to stray away from persistence and rather to just switch to the next task, tab when things start to get difficult. Also, it forces us to endorse in a habit of filling every spare moment with something �productive�. But, your �productivity� causes your brain to shut down neural connections. To restore theses connections, you will have to repeat the thought process, aka �spreading activation.� The bouncing back between tasks slows down the actual task. This was proven in tests conducted at Stanford University by communication professor Clifford Nass, and his two colleagues, Eyal Ophir and Anthony Wagner. Three tests were conducted that measured heavy media multitaskers on their ability to ignore, to recall information, and to switch between tasks. In all three tests, non multi-taskers performed better. Multitaskers do not pay attention as well, control memory, and/or switch from one task to another as well as those who complete one task at a time.
�But I always listen to music when I am doing my homework, is that wrong?� Well, A little music never hurt anyone, and according to NPR, they agree. Multitasking can be good in small amounts. A lot of the time people say that music can help them focus. This could be because it keeps you alert but still allows you brain to block it out and remain connected with the main task. This works because it is not forcing itself into your consciousness. Unlike cellular devices and other IM websites that extract you from your learning and concentration, every time it buzzes.
But music is an exception, not the rule. Most media use is taking away from our learning, disconnecting us from productivity, and forcing bad habits. Researchers are still studying whether media multitaskers are born with the inability to concentrate or if they are damaging their cognitive mind by juggling too much.
Bibliography
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