Pay attention! Our attention spans are shrinking

Are attention spans getting shorter? Are you getting more distracted by multitasking on top of multitasking? Correspondent David Pogue tries to get answers from researcher Gloria Mark, author of "Attention Span," at the same time he talks with Cornell psychology professor James Cutting AND with counselor Lauren Barnett AND her daughters about how distractive technologies are affecting our behavior, productivity and stress levels.
#attentionspan

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[wesleyratko]

Kudos to that mom distinguishing between productivity and well-being. Listen to your mom ladies…she's wise.

[Michaela]

Having been in the film business for many years and loving film, the idea of all 5 second cuts sadden me more than I can say. It's probably why I still watch a lot of the older films. As a for instance, in the Film "The Devil and Daniel Webster" (1941 directed by William Dieterle) there is a long shot of the mother walking slowly toward the camera from the house to the barn to check on her son that says more about what is going on in the scene and the film as a whole than anything else the director could have said. It was perfect. Cutting it to make it shorter and "zippier" would have ruined it.

[michaelmonthey]

I have a new strategy. When homework needs to be done, I will turn my phone off. When I have to be in school, I will leave my phone at home.

[ktjomeyers]

This has never been more true than in our elementary school children. 😢

[bloofan]

I like the idea that when you feel the urge to switch tasks, asking yourself if it's due to boredom or if it's going to be productive.

[KeaneSouthard]

The first professor says there is plenty of research to support the view that attention spans have decreased, but then the next professor guy says "there's no data for that". The second professor doesn't sound very convincing when his evidence is anecdotal: "haven't we all seen teens play video games for hours on end?" Not sure he was the best person to interview here.

[edl]

I used to read for hours. Tons of books. Now I can’t pay attention. I have to check my phone. I grew up without this stuff but it’s an addiction. It’s not good for creativity, learning, thinking or being motivated.

[kjmav]

Nile Postman wrote a book called “Amusing Ourselves to Death” back in the 80s or 90s. He describes how people in the 1800s would sit and listen to debates for hours at a time. I think we’ve gotten impatient and anxious.

[thisis.michelletorres]

My eternal argument with my kids! I'm regulating phone time now. I also assign book reading. I make them take headphones off when I to speak with them. I also have conversations with them about going with the flow and getting dumber. Balance and stoicism (no whining) are useful!

[iamthebock]

As a healthcare professional with PTSD, I've been struggling to manage the "productivity vs wellbeing" dilemma. I am so wiped during and after work that I usually feel my focus diminishing over the course of the shift. By the time I get home and unwind, my brain has no energy left to just "think" so I end up vegging out on YouTube and tiktok for 1-2hrs before I can feel somewhat normal again. I'm trying to study for a new accreditation test and my attention span is nonexistent 🤷

[susannpatton]

Handheld computers that make phone calls. They are the most addictive thing ever.

[bookgirlny]

No. The worst problem is people don’t think deeply and live a rich and meaningful life as we flicker through the images.

[TransConBrilliance]

Omg, THIS. I've been a software engineer for 30 years and the last 6 have been ridiculous with people not paying attention. At work (majority of employees and 90% of the younger ones) would email me with 5 or 6 questions. I would reply with answers to all questions but almost all of the people would not go pass the 3rd sentence of the email. So they reply with what about question 4....I already answered it. So now I answer questions only in bullet points with colors which gives me better results but still awful. Was never like that pre iPhones. I have 1 friend my age (52), if he gets a txt with a article link he won't read it and will ask someone to read and summarize to him. Another friend who told me she hasn't read a book in 5 years and when she tried her mind wanders after 5 pages. You're all doomed.

[lucky]

I hate when talking to people they answer their phone. Now I just walk away. The phone is more important then I am.

[teacherrussell]

Too late. This was a concern 20 or more yrs ago. We're off in what I call "Full Idiocracy" territory now.

[CO-kdsd]

Whoever hired that Cornell professor needs to get fired. First, he says the attention span of video game players is impressive without realizing how those games are specifically designed to keep players engaged. Only going by length of time doesn't mean anything for something like that. Then he says, "makes sense that a filmmaker would make the shots shorter. The filmmaker doesn't need to dwell on something like that". That's one of the most ridiculous statements I've ever heard something say about film. It's art! Imagine telling the Coen brothers, Paul Thomas Anderson, Kubrick, Hitchcock, Lynch and others that. You make the shot in the way the story and director call for. How's that guy teaching anything?

[CC-sicr]

That man from Cornell has no clue what he's talking about if he thinks everyone's attention span is the same as it was from 20 years ago. The lady from UC Irvine was on to something.

[BurritoMassacre]

I find myself in this cycle. I work from home and my work is due weekly on Tuesdays. I tend to get half of my work done early in the week then get busy with other home tasks and end up staying up later Sunday night into Monday morning finishing up. I’m productive especially in the middle of the night when I have zero distractions but it’s not healthy for my sleep or stress!
I will implement the tips that were given, I’m tired of feeling that I’m always playing catch-up.

[TheDeltaCrafterYT]

Sorry Professor Cutting- your examples are not apples to apples. Yes, someone could SIT in a movie for 2+ hours but that doesn’t mean they are paying ATTENTION the whole time. The frames in a video game move so quickly that that example doesn’t hold up either. As a educator, I can absolutely attest that our attention spans are getting shorter. It’s getting almost impossible to keep students focused unless the lesson is gamified or I’m doing some sort of tricks. My 2 cents.

[DavidFilmore]

Watched this video at 2x speed, I haven't got the patience for this.