Online Media and Our Brains: How Tech Can Change Us
Udumbara
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Life online has become part of the “new normal," with both promise and pitfalls. Learn how to navigate your brain’s response.
In the critically acclaimed movie “Good Will Hunting,” Will is a genius. He can quote from endless tomes due to his prolific memory. But Will has personal problems, and he uses his book smarts to revile mercilessly those who would challenge his vulnerabilities. Still, at a turning point, his therapist points out that all this vast trivia doesn’t make up for the fulfillment of direct, lived experience.
This message retains relevance in the contemporary world of social media and vast streams of information. Despite the troves of data at our fingertips, there are some differences between life online and that in the material world.
As we increasingly exist in these virtual spaces, what becomes of the human brain, and how does it affect our well-being? Overstimulated yet undernourished, findings show we are often awash in information but lacking understanding.
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The Mind in Bytes: Decoding Tech’s Impact on the Brain
Technology and cognitive processes have an intricate relationship that is not easy to navigate. For example, consider the following:- Technology promotes media that grabs attention, driving media production. Media consumption can lead to cravings.
- Online media drives us to distraction yet may help boost creativity.
- The internet can help us quickly gather information with less effort but may impact what we remember (and cherish) long-term.
- Social media is a double-edged sword; it gratifies how we are socially wired in some ways but leaves us lacking in others—all while calling us back online more.
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It’s All About Rewards
Researchers have known for some time that being online is highly stimulating and can be addictive. Just like a drug, the internet provides a rapid “dose” of dopamine (the “reward” chemical boosted by cocaine) to the brain’s reward system with minimal effort. Over time, this leads to craving your digital “fix.”Additionally, myriad neuromarketing tweaks are implemented to make media as compelling as possible.
For instance, Facebook recruits legions of doctorate holders to optimize features that maximize user engagement. Things like infinite scrolling, notifications, and specific word/image combinations all exploit a pesky weak spot in our brains: the human amygdala, which is hypersensitive to novelty and potential threats. Therefore, these features grab user attention and redirect it. As competition for your eyeballs increases, novelty (sometimes bordering on the absurd) also drives content we are apt to see online, like viral memes.
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Multitasking: Efficiency vs. Distraction
The internet offers endless content buffet-style, making us more distracted and unable to focus on what’s relevant.As a result, research has shown that the brains of heavy internet users have less gray matter in areas involving sustained attention and that these people have to work harder to control impulses.
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The online world—with its hyperlinks, multiple information streams, and notifications—also tempts us to multitask more. One study found people multitasking online switched content every 19 seconds. However, most people are poor multitaskers, and doing so reduces attention spans.
While much of this may seem disconcerting, one silver lining is that mind wandering can spark creativity. Indeed, the internet has given rise to many unique phenomena. Let’s just hope it’s not at the cost of our priorities and meaningful engagement.
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Is Tech Changing What We Remember?
There’s a scene in the popular film “The Matrix” where the main character, Neo, downloads vast stores of knowledge directly into his brain via a cable. To many of us, especially those who grew up with the internet, online living can seem vast and promising, albeit perhaps less “human.”One thing many people appreciate about modern living is the ease of “offloading” information to tech. We can store information there and look it up when we need it. We can scrutinize someone’s entire chat history for a year—verbatim. Research finds that people are indeed able to find detailed information very quickly but, contrastingly, tend to remember it less accurately later.
The brain has two memory “information highways.” Once new visual information is processed, it routes to either a “where” system that provides a mental map of time and space or a “what” system that lends facts, associations, and attitudes.
With instant access, there’s less incentive to remember deeply. The “what” system appears to be recruited less during online searches; that indicates users don’t consider as deeply (drawing on prior semantic memory) or encode as solidly (integrating new information). Hence, unpracticed memories may fade—in other words, “use it or lose it.” Yet ironically, when asked, people tend to overestimate their recall abilities due to digital reliance.
So what does this mean for society? On the one hand, since people don’t have to preserve and search for information effortfully, memory may be generally less well-encoded. (“What did you do last Thursday?” “Beyond the next hour, I don’t know. My phone tells me where to be.”)
Also, the rituals we used to rely on more to remember—books, conversations, communities—may be fading in prominence. Some evidence also suggests there is less analytical thinking with tech, as we notice life’s nuances while cogitating.
On the other hand, when our limited cognitive resources are freed up by tech, it may allow certain individuals to accomplish more and remember “important” details with greater focus.
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The Paradox of Social Media Relationships
Humans are naturally social creatures, but online connections come with some unique dynamics.Online, people tend to be more self-focused and emphasize presenting a favorable version of their lives. Social media has been implicated in both appealing to and creating narcissists. Yet it’s also simply rewarding to talk about yourself. Hence, social media hijacks this natural tendency, providing a reward response to the brain that people value more than money.
However, the curated versions of ourselves shown online are less realistic. Exposure to seemingly more successful or happier peers can lower self-esteem, especially in adolescents still developing frontal lobes (responsible for self-processing and regulation), making them more self-conscious and susceptible to peer influence.
Additionally, algorithms amplify similar content, creating echo chambers where users’ initial tendencies are reinforced (and contrasting perspectives dampened). Since our brains are drawn to novelty, platforms may push more extreme content to maintain engagement. Hence, it’s no surprise that social media is polarizing (and growing weirder).
Also—social media is, shall we say, not the whole package. While it is undeniably beneficial to stay in touch with distant relationships and find like-minded communities—even being therapeutic for people coping with illness—social media simply lacks certain aspects of “real world” connection.
We expend much less effort to send a like or a quick “happy birthday.” Social skills for introducing oneself, dialoguing, or managing conflict may also be comparatively obviated online. Additionally, owing to anonymity or the lack of physical presence, some people may behave more rudely than if they were directly engaging with partners, as the brain tends to regulate such behavior.
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Where Do We Go From Here?
Taken together, it can be said that life online begets both promise and pitfalls. Based on how we are wired, it intrinsically evokes or amplifies certain tendencies while eschewing others.Should we all burn our laptops and start over, then? Rather than take a Luddite stance, we may need to make more informed decisions about how we engage with technology.
Here are a few suggestions.
1. Use Responsibly
Say you spent three hours at your computer and barely even started completing your work. Maybe “one quick peek” at a blog led to a rabbit hole, and you lost track of time. In this case, consider using an app like RescueTime to track your screen time or setting alarms for periodic, time-restricted breaks.2. Set Barriers
If you struggle with self-control, making it more difficult to act on your desires could help curb bad habits. Now, an array of apps allows you to lock your device’s screen or block certain websites during work hours. (Note: Be sure you trust the company with your private data.) Sometimes, simply setting limits is enough. If temptations like texting and the like still prevail, it may be best to take total separation measures, like storing your phone in your car.3. Reduce Impulsivity
Since technology can hijack attention, we can re-engineer our devices to avoid flashy features. For instance, setting your phone to black and white instantly reduces its appeal. Removing icons with apps like Minimalist Phone also helps reduce impulsive use. Another trick is simply setting your screen to a strictly functional black background.4. Prioritize In-Person Socializing
If you want social cohesion, make use of offline meetings whenever possible. Many companies now do hybrid remote, but those days in the office can help build rapport that is less likely to occur online.5. Invest in Yourself
If you are simply trying to search for a place to eat nearby, then quick online searches are just the thing. But if you are trying to acquire knowledge that will last you for the rest of your life, engage in exercises that challenge you to make new connections, like concept mapping, discussions with others, or answering critical-thinking questions.6. Be in the Moment
Preserving and sharing our experiences with photos, messages, and hashtags is desirable. However, people often fail to appreciate the moment because they are too absorbed in documenting it. Limit yourself to a few very good photos, and spend more time gazing, listening, smelling, and tasting.As technology evolves, it pays to be aware of how we function as humans and our values. This will enable us to consider, “Am I better or worse for how I use tech?” and to make the most of things accordingly.
