Blog

Back to previous page

Cons of Internet Usage on the Brain

 Memory

The internet has fundamentally changed the way our brains remember information. This contention is the result of a seminal study entitled ‘Searching for the Google Effect on People’s Memory’ by Betsy Sparrow, a psychology professor at Columbia University. In this new Internet age paradigm, Internet search engines help determine what we remember, and impact what we are likely to forget. Here are some key findings of this study as they relate to memory:

• Increasingly, the Internet is being used as a personal memory bank
• Our brains rely on the Internet for memory in much the same way they rely on the memory of a friend, family member or co-worker
• Study reveals that we forget things we are confident we can find on the Internet

 

Attention

Attention is defined as the mental faculty of considering or taking note of someone or something. With that definition in mind, how well do you think you can multitask? Think again! Stanford University’s Clifford Nass and author Nicholas Carr argue that the Internet is reprogramming our brains and shrinking our attention spans. Nicholas Carr, a 2011 Pulitzer Prize finalist and best-selling author of the book The Shallows, poses the question, whether Google is making us stupid in a celebrated Atlantic Monthly cover story. In doing so he crystallizes one of the most important discussions of our time: As we enjoy the Internet’s endless pursuits of information, are we sacrificing our ability to read and think deep thoughts? Referencing texts from philosophy, history and neuroscientists such as Dr. Michael Merzenich, Carr uses compelling evidence to show how the Internet has negatively impacted our attention spans. Here are some of his key points:

• Increasing loss in our capacity for concentration, contemplation, and reflection
• Loss of deeper emotions due to the increase in computer screen time
• Loss of ability to shift information from short-term memory to long-term memory

 

 

 

 

Focus

Focus is defined as an act of concentrating interest or activity on something. This capacity for clear focus is increasingly challenged as the Internet inundates us with information. As Nicholas Carr convincingly argues, the linear reading format of the book allowed us to focus our attention and shielded us from distraction, such as hyperlinks which take us in infinitely new directions and ask that many more questions. Here are some of his key points that relate to the challenges we’re facing with regard to focus in the Internet age:

• Living in a perpetual state of distraction
• More superficial way of thinking
• Less capacity for introspection and abstract thinking
• Reading comprehension going down in direct proportion to the number of hyperlinks

 

 

 

 

 

Next week we’ll review the positive aspects of internet usage on our brains. Yes, there are some! We hope you enjoy our new series and thank you for being a key part of the growing DynamicBrain community!

DynamicBrain Inc. is the Canadian Partner of Posit Science Corporation providing brain fitness program, BrainHQ in English and French.