Is The Internet Really Ruining Your Attention Span?

A recent study shows that humans now have a shorter attention span than that of a goldfish. Did the rise of the smartphone contribute to our falling attention spans?

Read More:
Texting, TV and Tech Trashing Children's Attention Spans
"Two studies on teachers' views of the impact of digital media on children's learning were just released, one by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project and the other by Common Sense Media."

New Model of Media Consumption in 'Age of Interruption'
"A study focuses on the fact that the average American receives more than 15 hours a day of digital media, the public's attention span for media and the ways the media is keeping us engaged."

Curb kids' screen time to stave off major health and developmental problems
"Curbs on children's daily screen time and delaying the age at which they start "the world's favorite pastime" are urgently needed to stave off the risk of serious health and developmental problems, argues a leading psychologist and child health expert."
____________________

DNews is dedicated to satisfying your curiosity and to bringing you mind-bending stories & perspectives you won't find anywhere else! New videos twice daily.

[coolbrotherf]

I have a friend who is addicted to playing on his phone and can't do anything without going to anime chat rooms or watching videos. He'll just stop in the middle of conversation and just look at his phone and start typing. I went to six flags with him and he actually skipped rides so he could moderate a chat room. Some people do really have problems with electronics.

[GuyWithAnAmazingHat]

I don't even bother pausing youtube videos, I open multiple windows, while using multiple devices, during meals.

[HawkProductions]

there's a difference between attention span and not being interested in the first place

[kendraabeene]

So I actually went a week off of social media and I was actually able to do things without the constant need to distract myself.
I read a book, finished a couple paintings. Normally I would take a million breaks to sit down and stare at my phone. As for video games I just cut back to a couple hours a week. It has really helped me sit with my thoughts and feel more in tune with things I need to sit with and not distract. The thing I hate the most is getting sucked into comments sections! 😆

[camilanieto]

Most of these videos make me zone out after 2 minutes

[drakeanton]

I'm on YouTube instead of studying so you make the decision.

[kennethj]

Just sit down and try to read a I dare you. 
Can you focus? Can you sit quietly & think deeply?

[Sugardaddy]

I tend to focus on one video at a time.

[rrcczz]

I'm distracted by Julia's beauty more than anything.

[Sweenus]

Did the people who did the study consider the type of content?

[Lucy-ngcw]

What scares me is when you are out at a having dinner or what ever and there are 1 year olds just watching something on an ipad. That has to mess with their development.

[Codbeaster]

I agree :

I sometimes find it hard to focus on reading something. And I often get distracted, think about other things, and then Regain attention 3 pages later wondering what on Earth I've just read about...

[Meosaurus]

Who else got distracted by the comments and watched the video again?

[BBoughton]

I've been a teacher in Taiwan and Japan. They consume more digital information compared to the states, in my opinion, and their attention in the classroom is very impressive.

[henrikstromberg]

I can sit by myself for hours at end focused on a single problem, with short breaks in between.

When I sit at a lecture, the amount of time I am able to focus is directly correlated to how prepared I am for the new information. If I'm not prepared at all, I just get frustrated, and I don't learn anything. It means my focus isn't there at all.

If I am prepared, I can relax and understand enough to ask good questions and I learn with ease. I do have problems when the lecture is slow or uninteresting. When I feel like I could get more out of my time, studying by myself. Then I don't have focus even if I try.

When I watch videos like these, I usully do more than one thing at the same time after I've prepared a playlist. If I find the information valuable and I don't understand it at once, I watch the videos again.

[yaadang]

I literally have to watch EVERY VIDEO at 1.5 speed, even if its a minute long!!!

[Jusinchannel]

And yet this video format is contributing to the problem it's actually speaking about. Fast paced speech, reading from teleprompter, flashing images. All because the "target's" attention span is believed to be less than a goldfish. I hope to see less of this kind of "content"

[aceheliflyer]

But I have ADHD and I'm an all out gamer and programmer... small programming...

[Korvilon]

I was watching this, reading an article and checking my facebook. 3 computer screens 3 tasks. Earlier I was looking for songs on youtube on my phone, checking my facebook, watching an anime movie, and updating a profile on one site. I suppose there is a problem here but it hasn't effected my work really.

[saadjamshaid]

I used to have to focus on one video at a time but once I got a second monitor I now play videos on my second monitor whilst on my primary monitor.