LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL

U

Search

Many Voices, One Freedom: United in the 1st Amendment

March 28, 2024

M

Menu

!

Menu

Your Source for Free Speech, Talk Radio, Podcasts, and News.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

We are all saturated with news events and social media chatter. The pressures of everyday life, when combined with the current news feed, the stresses of everyday life can force us to multitask in ways that will eventually impact our cognitive performance and memory. Like me, you probably thought multitasking was for the cool people. At least we were taught that in grade school. As it turns out⏤researchers find that spending less time multitasking may be the key to improving cognitive performance and memory.

Why does the amount of time we spend multitasking have such a negative impact on memory?

Stanford psychologist Anthony Wagner theorizes that “reduced working memory occurs in heavy media multitaskers because they have a higher probability of experiencing lapses of attention.” The more time you spend watching TV while emailing and surfing social media, in other words, the more difficult it becomes to sustain your attention. Instead of building concentration, multitasking reinforces the mindset that psychologist Linda Stone famously calls “continuous partial attention.” It turns this scattered state of attention into a habit, Inc. reports.

Link to Inc. article: Want to Improve Your Memory? A Decade-Long Stanford Study Suggests You Should Stop Doing This 1 Thing

Link to Stanford News: A decade of data reveals that heavy multitaskers have reduced memory, Stanford psychologist says

Donald Hebb, an early neuroscientist, noted the core problem and opportunity at the heart of this modern predicament: “neurons that fire together, wire together.” When we multitask, we’re firing the neural pathways of distraction and diminished memory over and over again. Eventually, these neurons that fire together, wire together. When we break this habit, however, we’re firing new, more productive neural pathways. We’re wiring together mental habits that allow us to achieve deeper levels of focus and heightened levels of memory processing and recall. In short, we’re smarter when we just do one thing at a time.


The Voice of a Nation can be heard weekdays at 6 pm ET, with an encore at 10 pm ET. Listen on iHeart Radio, our world-class media player, or our free apps on AppleAndroid, or Alexa. You can email your questions to [email protected].

AMERICA OUT LOUD PODCAST NETWORK
AMERICA OUT LOUD PODCAST NETWORK

America Out Loud is the premier news network with a diverse array of talk shows that inform and inspire. A daily resource for smart people.

MANY VOICES, ONE FREEDOM: UNITED IN THE 1ST AMENDMENT

Join our community: Your insights matter. Contribute to the diversity of thoughts and ideas.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
1 Comment
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Caroline R
Caroline R
Guest
2 years ago

Great points Malcolm about our focus and neuroplasticity.
Thank you.
I have PTSD, and lack of concentration is a byproduct of it, and a thing to be wrestled with (it’s been a lifesaver, but the cost has been heavy).
Sometimes, with certain subjects requiring my attention, I feel like Ben Hur driving his chariot, my thoughts being like a team of wild horses wanting to go in different directions, so it takes all of my strength to hold on, and a moment by moment effort to keep them going in the needed direction.
With distressing things it’s worse.
It takes so much energy and effort to do things that used to be easy.

I had great concentration & memory prior to the events that caused PTSD, and I miss it, especially being able to focus at work, read for hours, be productive, be creative, and journal.🇭🇲

Sitewide Newsfeed

More Stories
.pp-sub-widget {display:none;} .walk-through-history {display:none;} .powerpress_links {display:none;} .powerpress_embed_box {display:none;}
Share via
Copy link