The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World by Adam
Gazzaley
1. Overview. A basic premise of this book:
We have an evolutionary and survivalist need to access information. We
literally forage for important information, much like food foraging. In fact,
novelty and information trigger our brain’s reward-dopamine system. However,
modern access to huge volumes of information creates an overload and the
frustration associated with it. This book outlines why and how we’re
distracted, especially in an e-world full of competing images and sounds. The
big problem: Our ability to set goals is far more evolved than our
goal-enactment abilities. And given the amount of e-interference today, goal
interference looms over us constantly. The authors describe the conflict
between goal setting and cognitive control; attention setting and managing goals
resulting from distractions; and, interruptions and multitasking. The 3 HUGE disrupters
in our current world are the internet, cell phones, and email. Finally, the
authors offer strategies to combat such distraction and make us more resilient
by employing education, cognitive training, certain video games, physical
exercise, pharmaceuticals, and nature exposure. In addition, here’s a TED talk that
will orient you to their work.
2.
Cognition
and Control. In Section I, the authors discuss how our limited cognitive
control wrestles with interference, distraction (both internal and external) and
poor performance. Interference appears
as ‘noise,” like task switching (erroneously labeled “multitasking”), which distracts
us from our goals. For example, you go to the pantry but forget why you went
there! Our brains have evolved over time
to develop complex goals and focus on them using cognitive control by using
attention, working memory and goal management—all of which have limitations and
are affected by age and daily circumstances. Unfortunately, multitasking is
associated with novelty, pushes the brain’s rewards button (dopamine system), and
is more fun than focusing! Example: I just exported a quote from this book to
OneNote, then tried to sync it, couldn’t find the sync button, and spent 4 minutes
trying to locate it. Now I’m trying to get back to my goal—writing this review!
3. Modern Behavior. Today’s technologies
offer us a “foraging” feast and an unlimited ability to trigger the pleasure of
a dopamine (rewards) hit. This external technology is ubiquitous, addictive,
and harmful—all at the same time. Thus, the constant presence of technology affects
our safety (texting and driving); education (website visits and texts during
class); sleep (screen time and sleep interference); and health (spending too
much time sitting and not moving).
Further, this technical interference especially impacts people with
ADHD, anxiety, depression, and autism. The danger: “attentional blindness” is
paying too much attention to our top-down brain functions and not enough time to
our bottom-up sensory functions—we lose track of what’s happening in the moment.
People get hit by cars and bump into walls because they’re too distracted by
their phones. In fact, 23% of all car crashes involve distraction by using a
cell phone! At work, interruptions are constant, especially in open offices,
and it can take up to 30 minutes to get back on task. To make up for
interruptions, people work faster, demand more of their brains, and experience
more stress and higher frustration. Socially we are often “alone together,”
paying way more attention to our cellphones and less to people around us. In
fact, the mere presence of a cell phone (iPhone effect) had negative consequences
in social interaction, such as a lack of empathy. The overuse of technology has
been associated with psychological problems. Sleep is critically affected by
screen time, especially an hour before bedtime—it inhibits melatonin release.
Technology—especially the internet, smartphones and social media—has had a
serious effect on the key domains of Attention (selectivity, distribution,
sustainability, processing speed); Working Memory (capacity); and, Goal
Management (multitasking and task switching).
4. What to Do. With important tasks, turn
off any distracting devices. However, unimportant, boring tasks might benefit
from paced disruptions. Augmenting our
knowledge of technology’s effects on the brain, decreasing our access to it, diminishing
boredom and reducing anxiety are the keys to getting this technology danger
under control. Here are just a few cautions and tips to diminish distractions. Driving:
texting while driving increases the risk of a crash 23 times! And, just using a
cell phone while driving is like being legally drunk. Boredom: Conversation in
a car is OK unless it requires deep cognitive thought. Audio books seem to be
safe and don’t measurably conflict with attention in a major way. Anxiety: To
avoid compulsive message checking, inform your friends when you’re unavailable
and set up auto-responses. Critical Assignments: Avoid multitasking to increase
productivity and reduce stress. Take regular breaks. Limit yourself to one
screen at a time. Reduce open programs on the computer. Limit daily contact
with email and set time limits. Listen to your favorite music (I prefer
instrumentals)—symphony or smooth jazz.
Rest your eyes; try the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes take a 20 second
break and focus on things 20 feet away. Take short 10-minute naps. Take nature
walks. Keep phones out of sight. Have weekly 15-min. family meetings. Have
family meals—for best child psychological and family relationships. Remove
technology from the bedroom. While drugs like Ritalin and Adderall may help
people with ADHD (a burgeoning class in a distracted world), the side effects,
including addiction, for healthy people taking them can be negative.
Posts
