A classic plot in movies and novels is the scientist who
invents a revolutionary device and is caught in a dilemma. His discovery can be used for great good or
for tremendous evil. What should he
do? This is not only the work of fiction
but happens in life. The most striking
example is atomic energy, which may be used to power large cities or as a
bargaining tool by a despotic ruler of a rogue nation. On a more mundane level, do you suppose the
people at Apple, Microsoft, Verizon, Twitter or Facebook agonized over whether
their technological contributions to society would cause harm to people? –
Probably not, but now we find out the dangers of too many gadgets.
Beyond the danger of texting while driving and other
irresponsible behavior, beyond the simple erosion of attention span, even
beyond the common issue of addiction to a smartphone, new research finds that
the constant distractions of our various gadgets actually impede our ability to
be creative and to efficiently process information. All these issues, of course, involve
behaviors related to discipline.
It turns out that multi-tasking is not a cool and useful
talent to acquire, as we have been led to believe. It should be considered a weakness, not a
strength. "Multitasking while doing academic work — which is very, very common among young people — leads to
spottier, shallower, less flexible learning." One study found that constant interruptions reduced scores on a test of
cognitive abilities by 20%. Another
showed that the interruptions were, to a large extent, self-imposed. Students observed during study time with
access to computer and phone spent only 65% of the time actually working, despite knowing that they were being observed.
Further research “shows that multitasking can have
long-term harmful effects on brain function.”
Contrary to the researchers expectations, multitaskers do poorly on
experimental tests and “even when they focus on a single activity, frequent
multitaskers use their brains less effectively.”
For most people taking on more than two tasks at a time
increases the likelihood of errors. It
reduces concentration and increases stress.
Even when you’re not driving, the phone and e-mail can wait. It’s another area where stronger behavior in
the dimension of discipline can have a long-term positive impact on your life.
Read more from one of the researchers in this transcript of
a discussion on NPR.
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