Making Sense with Sam Harris #226 — The Price of Distraction
Nov 27, 2020
Adam Gazzaley, a neuroscientist and professor at UCSF, discusses the profound effects of technology on our brain and attention. He explores how multitasking fragments our focus and leads to increased anxiety. Gazzaley highlights the paradox of boredom in the digital age and shares strategies to reclaim sustained attention. The conversation also dives into neuroplasticity, emphasizing how our choices shape our brains and personal growth. The potential of video games as tools for mental training and future brain-machine interfaces adds a fascinating twist.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Information Processing Limits
- Humans are information-seeking creatures, crucial for survival and thriving.
- Our capacity to process information is limited, leading to consequences when overloaded.
Multitasking vs. Switching
- Multitasking often involves switching between tasks, not true parallel processing.
- This switching incurs performance costs and neural fragmentation, especially when unexpected events demand attention.
Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Attention
- Bottom-up attention is driven by salient stimuli, crucial for survival.
- Top-down attention is goal-directed and involves conscious decision-making.
