Study: Multimedia Multitasking May Be Shrinking Human Brains

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.

Comments

Oh crap

[ArcadeMan]

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

[Anonymous Coward]

It was already well-known that web developers were morons long before these devices became ubiquitous.

Re:Oh crap

[ArcadeMan]

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.

Re:Oh crap

[Anonymous Coward]

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.

Moths

[Mr D from 63]

Moths are attracted to bright lights, and they have very small brains. I'm seeing some kind of correlation here......

Re:Moths

[nblender]

That explains the fuzzy wings I recently developed...

Not a new concern

[CRCulver]

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 that served as the basis for his book The Shallows .

I think there are philosophical issues here. While the human biological organism might be "getting stupider", if our electronic devices are seen as augmentations, then doesn't our total cyborg person remain just as intelligent? That is, people have not become stupider, they have just moved some information processing from the brains in their skull to the devices in their heads.

The appearance of emotional issues might be a serious problem, but on the other hand, let's see how future generations who grow up with electronics from their infancy feel.

Re:Not a new concern

[CRCulver]

Sorry, that should have read "to the devices in their hands". We haven't got to neural implants yet.

Re:Not a new concern

[rHBa]

...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.

Versa Vice

[rmdingler]

If it is indeed possible to see one's grey matter shrink from engaging in certain activities, then the reverse is also likely true.

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.

Re:This again?

[Anonymous Coward]

Are you sure it has been posted before? I don't recall it. Let me check my other notebook, my tablet, and my phone to be sure. Wait, what were we taking about again?

Re:quit interpreting statements

[taustin]

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.

Density

[ShanghaiBill]

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 is very weak.

Addicts

[JimSadler]

Girls between 20 and 24 seem to be seriously addicted to smart phones. I'm seeing them totally disabled and unable to stop and staying on those phones 24/7 and missing sleep and abandoning work and school and even skipping bathing to spend more time on their smart phones. We might as well open the rehabs now as a tide of these young women is about to become a huge problem. It is today's version of the video game addicts of a few years ago.

Re:Addicts

[Lumpy]

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.

What doesn't?

[Anonymous Coward]

Porn shrinks your brain

Lack of sleep shrinks your brain

Multi-tasking shrinks your brain

Religion shrinks your brain

Fat shrinks your brain

Elevated Blood Sugar shrinks your brain

Stress shrinks your brain

Aging shrinks your brain

Alcohol shrinks your brain

Vegetarianism shrinks your brain

Type 2 diabetes shrinks your Brain

Cell phones shrink your brain

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

[ihtoit]

...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"!

the zombie apocalypse

[n1ywb]

Hurrrr! Get off my lawn!