Making Sense with Sam Harris - Subscriber Content

#380 - The Roots of Attention

Aug 23, 2024

Amishi Jha, a leading researcher in attention and mindfulness, discusses how our brains handle focus in an increasingly distracting world. They explore the failures of brain-training games and the neurological benefits of mindfulness and meditation. Amishi emphasizes the significance of attention in emotional regulation and the impact of smartphones on our cognitive capacities. Through rich insights, they reveal how mindfulness can transform our relationship with thoughts, enhance present-moment awareness, and foster emotional resilience.

01:38:58

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Episode guests

Amishi Jha

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Quick takeaways

The research led by Dr. Amishi Jha highlights that conventional brain-training games do not translate into real-world improvements in attentional capacity.

Mindfulness practices are shown to enhance attention and cognitive functioning, providing individuals with resilience against stressors in their daily lives.

The impact of smartphones and social media on attention necessitates mindfulness strategies that promote intentional disengagement to restore cognitive resources.

Deep dives

Understanding Attention and Its Vulnerabilities

The brain's attention system plays a critical role in how humans function, influencing performance across various professions, especially those where lapses in attention can have dire consequences. Researchers, including Amishi Jha, have focused on understanding the mechanisms of attention and its vulnerabilities, particularly in high-stress environments like emergency services and military settings. This understanding is vital for developing strategies that can strengthen attention, as individuals in these professions rely on it for success and safety. Jha's work emphasizes the need to assess attention both in controlled laboratory contexts and real-world scenarios, using tools such as functional MRI and EEG to capture brain activity related to attention.

Brain Networks and Mindfulness

03:46

Recognizing Anger Non-Dualistically

01:03

The Flashlight Metaphor and Mindfulness

02:16

Harnessing Attention Shapes Brain Function

01:30

Intro

2min

Mindfulness and Attention: A Neuroscientific Perspective

10min

Exploring Mindfulness and Attention

30min

Mindfulness and Neural Networks

27min

From Duality to Non-Duality in Mindfulness

16min

Exploring Perception Through Advanced Neuroscience Techniques

2min

Exploring Attention in High-Stress Contexts

2min

Mindfulness in the Digital Age

8min

The Impact of Social Media on Cognitive Clarity

2min

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Sam Harris speaks with Amishi Jha about attention and the brain. They discuss how attention is studied, the failure of brain-training games, the relationship between attention and awareness, mindfulness as an intrinsic mental capacity, the neurological implications of different types of meditation, the neural correlates of attention and distraction, the prospects of self-transcendence, the link between thought and emotion, the difference between dualistic and nondualistic mindfulness, studying nondual awareness in the lab, the influence of smartphones, the value of mind wandering, and other topics.

Dr. Amishi Jha, PhD, is a professor of psychology at the University of Miami. She serves as the Director of Contemplative Neuroscience for the Mindfulness Research and Practice Initiative, which she cofounded in 2010. She received her PhD from the University of California, Davis, and did postdoctoral training at the Brain Imaging and Analysis Center at Duke University. Her work has been featured at NATO, the World Economic Forum, and the Pentagon, and she’s been covered in The New York Times, NPR, Time magazine, and Forbes. With grants from the Department of Defense and several private foundations, she leads research on the neural bases of attention and the effects of mindfulness-based training programs on cognition, emotion, resilience, and performance. Dr. Jha’s national bestseller, Peak Mind, describes her work with a variety of high-demand groups, from special forces, elite athletes, and first responders, to teachers, business and medical professionals, and students. Her forthcoming app, Pushups for the Mind, will be available to U.S. military service members in the fall of 2024, and for public release in early 2025.

Website: https://amishi.com/

Twitter: @amishijha

Learning how to train your mind is the single greatest investment you can make in life. That’s why Sam Harris created the Waking Up app. From rational mindfulness practice to lessons on some of life’s most important topics, join Sam as he demystifies the practice of meditation and explores the theory behind it.

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Making Sense with Sam Harris - Subscriber Content

#380 - The Roots of Attention

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Understanding Attention and Its Vulnerabilities

Limitations of Brain Training Games

Mindfulness as a Tool for Attention Enhancement

The Relationship Between Attention, Awareness, and Mindfulness

The Impact of Technology on Attention

Mind-Wandering and Cognitive Creativity

Brain Networks and Mindfulness

Recognizing Anger Non-Dualistically

The Flashlight Metaphor and Mindfulness

Harnessing Attention Shapes Brain Function

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts