Lecture Notes: How Does Technology Affect the Attention Spans of Different Age Groups?

Introduction

• ADHD: Prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder, affecting 1 in 10 children in the US.
  • Misconceptions: Previously seen as a disorder in young children, now recognized across all ages.
  • ADHD is linked with impaired executive functions: activation, focus, effort, emotions, memory, and action.
  • Symptoms: poor time management, procrastination, disorganization, and difficulty managing emotions and social cues.
• Diagnosis & Treatment:
  • Rising ADHD diagnoses: 2% preschool, 9% older children, 11% teens, 5% adults.
  • Link to increased technology use and information bombardment.
• Technology Use:
  • Average daily screen time: 7.5 hours.
  • Outcomes: increased excitability, poorer sleep, multitasking, immediate satisfaction desire.

Shrinking Attention in Young Children

• Parent Concerns: Increase in technology use and its effects on children.
• Study Findings:
  • Daily screen time increased in children with more access to devices.
  • Impact on young brains: Multitasking behavior, instant gratification, and excessive stimulation.
  • Correlation with ADHD symptoms.
• Studies:
  • Positive correlation between TV exposure at 18 months and ADHD at 30 months.
  • Longer screen times linked to higher hyperactivity scores.
  • Excessive screen time worsens ADHD symptoms in diagnosed children.

Shrinking Attention in School-Aged Children

• Technology Impact: Alters productivity and societal functioning.
• Video Games:
  • Strengthens decision-making, visual attention.
  • Risks: promotes top-down processing, decreases sensory analysis.
  • Correlation: gaming less than 1 hour/week improves cognitive control.
  • Content matters: Violent games increase distraction.
• Short-form Video Content:
  • Dopamine release likened to addiction pathways.
  • Impairment of prefrontal cortex impulse control.
  • Affects attention spans negatively, especially in classrooms.
• Classroom Impact: More media consumption affects learning time, although accuracy remains intact.

Shrinking Attention in Teens

• Social Media Usage:
  • High rates; 50% of teens feel addicted to their phones.
  • Internet as a substitute for other activities.
• Impact:
  • Decreased attention spans, influenced by high media multitasking capacities.
  • Research: Overuse contributes to ADHD development.
• Physical Activity: Can increase attention amidst distraction.

Shrinking Attention in Young Adults

• Internet and Cognitive Impact:
  • Multimedia multitasking decreases sustained attention.
  • Structural brain changes linked to technology use.
  • Online learning preference for asynchronous methods.
• Social Media: High usage in young adults affects dopamine pathways, impairing impulse control.

Shrinking Attention in Adults

• Technology Reliance:
  • 20% of adults spend over 40 hours online weekly.
  • Use of digital tools over memory systems.
• ADHD Symptoms: Persist into adulthood in 50% of diagnosed children.
• Attention and Technology:
  • Greater ADHD symptoms linked to problematic internet use.
  • Fear of missing out (FOMO) correlates with attention distraction.
  • Dopamine release from technology affects addiction pathways.
• Cognitive Training: Video games and apps can improve attention and cognitive abilities in older adults.

Discussion

• General Findings:
  • Technology use correlates with attention span changes among all age groups.
  • Dopamine reward system plays a significant role in addiction and attention patterns.
  • Correlation rather than causation between technology and ADHD.

Conclusion

• Digital Media and ADHD: Evident correlation across age demographics.
• Technology's Dual Role:
  • Can aid multitasking and divided attention.
  • Increases dopamine for ADHD management but risks addiction.
• Research Needs: Further study on different attention types across demographics.