Study: Multimedia Multitasking May Be Shrinking Human Brains 87
An anonymous reader writes It seems that switching between laptop, smart phone and tablet may be shrinking our brains and leaving us prone to higher levels of anxiety and stress reports new research from the University of Sussex in the UK. The researchers point out that the link is currently a correlation rather than a proof of causation, but they do suggest that people who used a higher number of media devices concurrently also had smaller grey matter density — in other words they have smaller brains.
Oh crap (Score:5, Funny)
Web developers need to test their websites on desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones all day long. We're as good as hot dog water sunshine, bread blue?
Re:Oh crap (Score:4, Funny)
It was already well-known that web developers were morons long before these devices became ubiquitous.
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Actually, no.
Re:Oh crap (Score:4, Insightful)
If web developers are morons for being able to make their stuff work on multiple operating systems on multiple versions of multiple browsers with standards that work half the time, then regular programmers who can't even optimize their programs for a single platform are just useless idiots who complain for nothing.
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Actually the fact that you need such extensive work and humongous libraries just to get cross-browser stuff to work simply justifies my point. Web developers are morons.
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Because ArcadeMan is just wrong.
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My TV is so dumb that it's a computer monitor.
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I don't think my mom's gf's wife is "into that." Wrong equipment in your story, man. You've got a long ways to go before you're ready for a career at Forum magazine.
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doing your part for the idiocracy
This again? (Score:2)
This story/theme seems to get posted at least once a year. Does that make it truthier? And given the benefits of this electronic crap; is the tradeoff worth it?
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Moths (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Moths (Score:5, Funny)
That explains the fuzzy wings I recently developed...
That explains (Score:2)
why PC-only gamers are the master race
Comment removed (Score:5, Interesting)
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This idea that multitasking and short attention spans have a negative impact on cognition is not new. It goes back at least to Nicholas Carr's 2008 magazine article
lol no, it goes back to Socrates
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...these computers don't exist in nature. Humans created them.
By that rational ant hills don't exist in nature because the ants created them.
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By that rational ant hills don't exist in nature because the ants created them.
No. Ant hills are organized dirt. Computers come from the human brain. There's a difference.
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TL;DR
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if our electronic devices are seen as augmentations, then doesn't our total cyborg person remain just as intelligent?
I think no, because crucial aspects intelligence include understanding and creating thinking, which none of these devices can help us with (yet?).
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Well, the problem might be that while some people might be remaining smart and advancing our overall knowledge and technology, that on balance individuals are getting stupider and relying more on the tech.
So, if we're going to end up with a bunch of drooling idiots over time (and internet videos tells me there's already plenty ;-) .. is that a good thing f
quit interpreting statements (Score:1)
...had smaller grey matter density â" in other words they have smaller brains.
That's not synonymous at all.
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Nor does brain size particularly correlate with intelligence, or we wouldn't have the big, stupid oaf stereotype.
I do find it entirely plausible, however, the idiots have short attention spans, and flit from distraction to distraction constantly.
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Everybody has a relative short attention spans these days, we're just bombarded with information day in day out.
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What's your problem, have a bad vacation on Crete or something? Did they use multimedia devices to shrink your brain, or did you shrink it all on your own? How do you know the Cretins did it? Did find you a note you left yourself from when you were still functional?
Versa Vice (Score:3)
Though it has been suggested by some that you cannot work out your brain to improve its performance, I have never believed this to be the case.
In my experience, constant problem solving improves one's cognitive abilities.
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somebody reading ebooks on his tablet is getting dumber. These test was probably filled with "media consumers".
That new generation of couch potatoes.
Density (Score:5, Informative)
From the summary: ... had smaller grey matter density — in other words they have smaller brains.
That is NOT what density means. Density is an intrinsic property, and does not in any way imply smaller size.
Also, the correlation between brain size and intelligence [wikipedia.org] is very weak.
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Addicts (Score:4)
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Between 20 to 24? I suggest you observe the ages below that from 14 years old my daughter has not stopped looking at her cellphone. not even for showering... She uses a ziplock baggie so she can take the phone in the shower.
Honestly, girls after age 13 are bat shit insane until about 30.
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Honestly, girls after age 13 are bat shit insane until about 30.
30? Nope, it's more like an eternity.
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Your guess is way off.
Boys are mentally ill idiots from age 6 until age 30 as well. Want proof? Youtube has all the proof that is needed.
There are some exceptions, but they are very rare.
What doesn't? (Score:4, Interesting)
Porn shrinks your brain [dailymail.co.uk]
Lack of sleep shrinks your brain [cnn.com]
Multi-tasking shrinks your brain [dailymail.co.uk]
Religion shrinks your brain [scientificamerican.com]
Fat shrinks your brain [bebrainfit.com]
Elevated Blood Sugar shrinks your brain [drperlmutter.com]
Stress shrinks your brain [peakperfor...aining.org]
Aging shrinks your brain [wsj.com]
Alcohol shrinks your brain [sciencedaily.com]
Vegetarianism shrinks your brain [fitness.com]
Type 2 diabetes shrinks your Brain [newsmaxhealth.com]
Cell phones shrink your brain [relfe.com]
I think medical fear mongering is shrinking our brains.
And yes, I did search for "Climate Change is shrinking our brains." No hits. So there you go MSM; a perfectly good theme that no one has used yet.
the zombie apocalypse (Score:4)
...is here. This is not news. For proof, just walk along the average school route during the morning rush, kids everywhere aren't talking, they've got their faces firmly planted in Candy Crush on their super-flexible brand new hot pink iphones while their parents fight for parking spots as close to the gates as they think it's possible to get and still be able to open the doors (failing which the kids are pushed out through the sunroof). Technology and in particular Facebook has killed the art of communication and social media in general has turned the connected generation into a bunch of ignorant cunts. And woe betide the first one of you whippersnappers who clicks "Like"!
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Why are the parents going to school?
the zombie apocalypse (Score:3)
SUMMARY IS WRONG, AGAIN!!!! (Score:1)
Ok, this is getting a little ridicules but it appears people are not even willing to copy/paste article titles. Brains are not "shrinking". Part of brain associated with certain traits, like cognition is,
Higher media multi-tasking activity is associated with smaller gray-matter density in the anterior cingulate cortex [sussex.ac.uk]
If you have no CLUE what "anterior cingulate cortex", you can't just delete it and substitute BRAIN in its place.
So how about "Multimedia Multitasking Associated with Structural Changes in th
The headline is wrong (Score:2)
multi screen (Score:1)
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Damaramu has a very compact brain (Score:1)
Wow (Score:1)