By analyzing data from 98,299 participants across 71 studies, researchers observed a direct relationship between the amount of short content consumption and a decline in cognitive performance, especially in the areas of attention and inhibitory control (i.e. the ability to resist distractions and control impulses). This means that users find it increasingly difficult to focus on complex tasks.

Cumulative effect and “brain rot”

“Repeated exposure to fast, highly exciting content may contribute to sensory adaptation, as users become less sensitive to slower cognitive tasks that require effort such as reading, problem solving, or deep learning,” the researchers explained.

In short, this pattern may contribute to what is popularly known as “brain rot.” The Oxford Dictionary defines the term “brain rot” as “the presumed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, particularly as a result of excessive consumption of material considered trivial or unchallenging (particularly electronic content now).” The term has been chosen as “Word of the Year” for 2024.

The study also linked the use of short-form content to negative effects on mental health, including increased stress and anxiety. “Continuously scrolling and receiving new content emotionally triggers the release of dopamine, creating a cycle that reinforces a pattern of habitual use and emotional dependence on digital interactions.”

It also noted that this use is “associated with increased social isolation by replacing real-life interactions with negative digital engagement, which increases feelings of loneliness,” and has also been linked to “decreased overall life satisfaction.”

This is not the first time that researchers have warned of cognitive decline in the digital age. A prominent study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found that students who used ChatGPT to write showed much less brain activity and were unable to remember any sentence of what they wrote.

While children who use social media daily scored lower on tests of reading, memory, and vocabulary, according to a study published by the JAMA Medical Journal.

Source: Independent