Is Technology Rewiring my Brain?
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Colleen
at
Sunday, December 7, 2008
I used to be able to watch a movie without falling asleep. Not anymore! Just sitting and watching a movie or TV zonks me out within 15 minutes. In fact, I'm blogging right now while watching Eagle Eye. I decided to watch it in the afternoon to hopefully make it through the movie. I thought I could do it. I wasn't tired when the movie started, but about 10 minutes in, I started nodding off. Brenna knows the solution - give me a laptop so I'm doing something interactive. It works every time. Right now I'm surfing the net, chatting with my sister in California on Facebook and writing this post while watching the end of the movie. Mission accomplished!
So why is this happening? I have a difficult time focusing on one task. I'd much rather multitask. It kind of bothers me that I need more stimulus in order to focus. It doesn't make sense, but it's my reality. I don't remember being like this when I was younger, but maybe I was. My husband is less of a techie and he prefers to focus on one thing at a time. He has a difficult time reading with the TV on or any other distractions. Is there a relationship between
being a techie and having to multitask?
I've read a little about digital natives and how kids' brains are different now because of technology. I'm 42. Has technology rewired my brain? Is this a good thing? Today I was talking to Amanda DeCardy and she has the same experience. She needs more stimulus to focus on one thing, otherwise her brain wanders. I feel your pain, sister! However, we can both read and get totally absorbed. Why? We think it's because when you read, you get immersed in the characters, you are taken to another location and you're also creating a movie of the book in your mind. Reading is more interactive for us.
Recently I've wanted to do a little experiment. I'd like to test how much I grasp in a meeting where I can't multitask. No doodling or messing around on a laptop. Then test how much I grasp when I can multitask. I feel like I remember more when I have more going on, but how do I know what I'm missing?!?
Does anyone else have similar experiences? A couple years ago I jokingly started calling it Adult Onset ADHD, but maybe it's more that. Maybe technology is changing how I process. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Maybe it's neither. Maybe it just is what it is.
Labels: brain , digital natives , reading , technology
2 comments:
Let's see I'm writing an e-mail, a blog post, have a head set on listening to Nickleback's latest release when a Twitter message passes my screen, that leads me to read this post, which makes me think of different research that I've been reading about the rewiring of brains.
1. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7667610.stm
This report looks at how the Internet is changing the brain activity...in 55 year olds! What is it doing to our students/children?
2. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/03/2178512.htm
Or this out of Oz where people report they feel more connected and have more of a social life after being online....I thought this stuff was suppose to make us loners!
3. http://www.brainrules.net/
What about this new research/book that is a must read.
We can't multitask he says, but we do have an attention span of about 10 minutes. Which is why I'm writing e-mails, then work on the blog post, then stop to come here and write for 10 minutes, then back to the blog, or maybe read. The music is just 'there' I'm not really listening to it, but it helps me focus.
Adult ADHD or just the way my brain has been rewired to the point where I can't watch TV without the laptop. A movie needs to really be good to not fall asleep, and my iPhone is always on.
That's it.....for now. :)
Hey Jeff,
I found an interesting article from Newsweek http://www.newsweek.com/id/163924. It talks about a book called "iBrain : surviving the technological alteration of the modern mind". I just ordered it for the library. I'll check out the links you sent. This is a really interesting topic to me because I feel it everyday.
I like the fact that I CAN multitask, but I'm not sure I like the fact that I HAVE to multitask. I wonder if there's a way to rewire my brain to be able to slow myself down and watch a movie. I want the best of both worlds - multitask when I want, focus on 1 thing when I want.
Can you read a book and stay focused? I definitely can and enjoy doing it. I know what you mean about the music being "there". I wear headphones while I read on the bus. Are you not able to watch a movie without other stimulus, either? It doesn't matter how good the movie is for me. It just zaps my energy and I'm nodding within 10 or 15 minutes. Hmmm. I wonder if we're a rare breed or a new trend.
Thanks for reading my blog. I'd love to hear from others on this topic.
I added The Thinking Stick to my blogroll. :o)
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