Skip to content

What Is The Internet Doing To Our Brains?

Photo of Brian B.
Hosted By
Brian B.
What Is The Internet Doing To Our Brains?

Details

We're currently hosting our discussions at Café Walnut, not too far from our summer meeting spot in Washington Square Park. The cafe is near the corner of 7th & Walnut in Olde City. The cafe's entrance is below street level down some stairs, which can be confusing if it's your first time. Our group meets in the large room upstairs.

Since we're using the cafe's space, they ask that each person attending the meetup at least purchase a drink or snack. Please don't bring any food or drinks from outside. If you're hungry enough to eat a meal, they have more substantial fare such as salads, soups & sandwiches which are pretty good and their prices are reasonable.

The cafe is fairly easy to get to if you're using public transit. With SEPTA, take the Market-Frankford Line & get off at the 5th Street Station (corner of 5th & Market), and walk 2 blocks south on 5th and then turn right on Walnut Street and walk 2 blocks west. With PATCO, just get off at the 9th-10th & Locust stop and walk 3 blocks east & 1 block north. For those who are driving, parking in the neighborhood can be tough to find. If you can't find a spot on the street, I'd suggest parking in the Washington Square parking deck at 249 S 6th Street which is just a half block away.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

NEUROSCIENCE & THE INTERNET: WHAT IS INTERNET USE DOING TO OUR BRAINS?

INTRODUCTION:

In this meetup, we'll explore the various concerns people have about the effect of heavy internet use on the human brain and whether or not these concerns are justified in light of the research in neuroscience & psychology. The concerns tend to cluster around certain sub-arguments, such as:

  1. widespread internet access via smart phones has made it easier for us to engage in addictive behaviors that were formerly done off-line, making us waste even more time & money (e.g. online gambling, online shopping, online porn, online gaming, binge watching TV shows),

  2. certain types of internet use, especially with ever-present smartphones, are inherently addictive and make us waste time & leading to chronic mental burnout (e.g. texting, constantly checking & posting on social media, hyperlink surfing, watching auto-loaded videos),

  3. the internet is harming our long-term memory via the "Google effect" - i.e. we rely on the internet for easy answers (e.g. smartphone contacts, GPS navigation, music recognition apps, search engines),

  4. the internet is causing "information overload", "multi-tasking syndrome" and "the paradox of choice" by giving us more information than we can process,

  5. the internet is making us status-obsessed & socially insecure due to selfie culture, cyber-bullying, social media trends that pressure us to "keep up with the Joneses" via conspicuous consumption and lead to "FOMO" (fear of missing out),

  6. the internet is making us almost constantly angry due to violent videogames, internet trolls & flame wars, conspiracy theories, and sensationalist news stories designed to outrage us,

  7. the internet is making us more close-minded and exacerbating political polarization by trapping us in "filter bubbles" and "echo chambers".

  8. the internet is making us lazier, flakier & less invested when it comes to dating, making plans with friends, and spending quality time with family members.

This is a huge list of concerns and we can't address all of them in one meetup, and the behavioral addictions listed under point #1 could alone fill a meetup. For this discussion, we'll do our best to address points #2-4 this time, as well as the claim that these neurological effects can be permanent for children who grew up using the internet. We can save the things listed under point #1 and points #5-8 for a later meetup.

As usual with our group, we'll start by trying to ascertain what the scientific consensus is on this issue before we dive into the details. In a notice in 2016, the American Psychological Association (APA) noted that "Internet Addiction Disorder" (IAD) is not included in the latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) used by health professionals for diagnosis. The only behavioral addiction currently included in the latest DSM is gambling disorder; however, "Internet Gaming Disorder" (IGD) was included in a section of the DSM-5 recommending further study.
https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/apa-blogs/apa-blog/2016/07/can-you-be-addicted-to-the-internet?_ga=2.121571528.1186041239.1524665170-719263992.1508419827

Pew Research conducted a poll of technology experts, scholars and health specialists earlier this year and found that "a plurality of experts say digital life will continue to expand people’s boundaries and opportunities in the coming decade and that the world to come will produce more help than harm in people’s lives. Still, nearly a third think that digital life will be mostly harmful to people’s health, mental fitness and happiness." The experts' list of concerns largely overlapped with the list I provided above: (1) digital deficits (similar to points #3 & 4), , (2) digital addiction (similar to points #1 & 2), (3) digital distrust/divisiveness (similar to points #6 & 7), (4) digital duress (similar to points #4, 5 & 8), and (5) digital dangers (broader concerns about the internet's effect on democracy, privacy, jobs, etc.) The experts suggested a mix of government regulation, tech innovation, and educating the public in media literacy. However, a share of respondents said all this may help somewhat, but – mostly due to human nature – it is unlikely that these responses will be effective enough, and people must gradually evolve and adjust to these changes.
http://www.pewinternet.org/2018/04/17/the-future-of-well-being-in-a-tech-saturated-world/

----------------------------------------------------------

DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO PREPARE FOR OUR DISCUSSION:

The videos & articles you see linked below are intended to give you a basic overview of some of the major debates over the neurological effects of internet usage. As usual, I certainly don't expect you to read all the articles & watch all the videos prior to attending our discussion. The easiest way to prepare for our discussion is to just watch the numbered videos linked under each section - the videos come to about 33 minutes total. The articles marked with asterisks are just there to supply additional details. You can browse and look at whichever ones you want, but don't worry - we'll cover the stuff you missed in our discussion.

In terms of the discussion format, my general idea is that we'll address the topics in the order presented here. I figure we'll spend about 30 minutes on each section.

--------------------------------------------------------

I. ADDICTIVE INTERFACES, WASTED TIME & DECISION FATIGUE/EGO DEPLETION:

  • IS TRISTAN HARRIS RIGHT THAT "INTERMITTENT VARIABLE REWARDS" MAKE BOTH SMARTPHONES & SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITES LIKE FACEBOOK ADDICTIVE LIKE SLOT MACHINES?

  • DO FREQUENT INTERNET USERS EXPERIENCE A TYPE OF POST-DECISION COGNITIVE DISSONANCE AKIN TO "BUYER'S REMORSE" OVER THEIR WASTED TIME?

  • TO THE EXTENT THAT WE REGRET WASTING TIME ONLINE, HOW DOES THIS TIE IN WITH DANIEL KAHNEMAN'S RESEARCH ON THE SPLIT BETWEEN THE "EXPERIENCING SELF" AND THE "REMEMBERING SELF"?

  • DOES THE WEALTH OF VISUAL STIMULI & INFORMATION WE ENCOUNTER ONLINE LEAD TO A SENSE OF MENTAL BURNOUT DUE TO DECISION FATIGUE?

  • HOW DOES THIS SQUARE WITH RECENT NEWS THAT "EGO DEPLETION" HAS BEEN DEBUNKED AS PART OF THE REPLICATION CRISIS IN PSYCHOLOGY?

1a) Tristan Harris, "How Your Brain Is Getting Hacked: Facebook, Tinder, Slot Machines" (video - 5:42 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgkvTRz_Alo

1b) Anthony Carboni, "Are We All Internet Addicts?" (video - 2:38 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtA-AmrbX4Q

II. COGNITIVE OFFLOADING & DIGITAL AMNESIA:

  • DOES STORING INFORMATION DIGITALLY OR RELYING ON SEARCH ENGINGES RATHER THAN REMEMBERING IT LEAD TO A DECLINE IN LONG-TERM MEMORY FUNCTION?

  • DOES REGULAR USE OF GPS REDUCE HIPPOCAMPUS FUNCTION & LEAD TO A DECLINE IN SPATIAL NAVIGATAION SKILLS?

  • IS NICHOLAS CARR RIGHT THAT "DEEP READING" IS A PREREQUISITE FOR "DEEP LEARNING", OR IS CLAY SHIRKY RIGHT THAT SKIMMING ENABLES A DIFFERENT TYPE OF LEARNING THAT'S NO LESS VALUABLE?

  • COULD THE NEED TO MEMORIZE CONTACTS, DIRECTIONS & TRIVIAL INFORMATION SIMPLY BE INCREASINGLY OBSOLETE, AS HAPPENED WHEN WRITING MADE RECITING EPIC POEMS & ORAL HISTORY FROM MEMORY OBSOLETE?

  • COULD INTERNET USE LEAD US TO DEVELOP MORE INFORMATION SEARCHING & PROCESSING ABILITIES IN LIEU OF MEMORIZING ABILITIES?

2a) Anthony Carboni, "Is the Internet Changing Our Memory?" (video - 4:14 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InlMjKJBrbE

2b) Nicholas Carr, "The Neuroscience of Internet Addiction" (video - 5:39 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjJYvLH_FGw

III INFORMATION OVERLOAD & MULTI-TASKING SYNDROME:

  • DO SOME TYPES OF INTERNET USE SHORTEN ONE'S ATTENTION SPAN?

  • HAS EXPOSURE TO A WELATH OF STIMULI & INFORMATION ONLINE SIMPLY RAISED OUR STANDARDS FOR WHAT DESERVES OUR ATTENTION? OR DOES OVERUSE OF THE INTERNET LEAD TO AN INABILITY TO FOCUS EVEN ON THINGS WE FIND INTERESTING?

  • DOES FREQUENT INTERNET USE SPEED UP THE BRAIN'S VISUAL PROCESSING ABILITY & REACTION TIME, ALLOWING US TO WORK FASTER?

  • IS MULTI-TASKING A "MYTH" IN THE SENSE THAT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO FOCUS ON 2 THINGS AT ONCE? OR ARE SOME PEOPLE ABLE TO MULTITASK EFFECTIVELY WHILE OTHERS SLIP INTO WHAT LINDA STONE CALLS "CONTINUOUS PARTIAL ATTENTION"?

3a) Julia Wilde, "Is The Internet Really Ruining Your Attention Span?" (video - 3:29 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Y2fdyVb44

3b) Dan Levintin, "Multitasking Is a Myth, and to Attempt It Comes at a Neurobiological Cost" (video - 2:46 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM4u-7Z5URk

IV. LONG-TERM INTERNET USE, CHILDHOOD BRAIN PLASTICITY & THE "MIND CHANGE" HYPOTHESIS:

  • IS GREENFIELD'S ARGUMENT THAT "ABSENCE OF EVIDENCE ISN'T EVIDENCE OF ABSENCE" A VALID PART OF THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE OR A WAY TO DODGE THE NEED TO SUPPORT HER ARGUMENTS WITH RESEARCH?

  • WHAT'S THE EVIDENCE THAT OVERUSE OF THE INTERNET DURING CHILDHOOD & ADOLESCENCE LEADS TO HIGH DOPAMINE & LOW PREFONTAL CORTEX ACTIVITY?

  • CAN THE RISE OF THE INTERNET HELP EXPLAIN THE RISE IN DIAGNOSES OF ADHD & AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER, AS GREENFIELD CLAIMS? OR CONVERSELY, COULD NON-NEUROTYPICAL PEOPLE SIMPLY BE MORE LIKELY TO OVERUSE THE INTERNET?

  • DOES THE HEAVY MEDIA COVERAGE OF POSSIBLE HARMFUL EFFECTS TO CHILDREN FROM INTERNET ADDICTION FIT THE MODEL OF A MORAL PANIC - OR "TECHNO-PANIC" - AS ADAM THIERER ARGUES?

  • IS EAGLEMAN RIGHT THAT IT'S HARD TO FIND A CONTROL GROUP OF NON-INTERNET-USING PEOPLE THAT AREN'T POOR OR OLDER?

  • IS "JUST-IN-TIME" LEARNING BETTER THAN "JUST-IN-CASE" LEARNING, AND DOES THE INTERNET ENABLE THE FORMER?

4a) Susan Greenfield, "Mind change is 'an issue that's as important and unprecedented as climate change'" (video - 5:10 min.)
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/video/2011/aug/15/susan-greenfield-video

4b) David Eagleman, "Confessions of a ‘Cyber-Optimist’" (video - 2:42 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pfg70zD540

Events in Philadelphia, PA
Photo of Skeptics In The Pub - Philly group
Skeptics In The Pub - Philly
See more events
Skeptics In The Pub - Philly
Photo of Skeptics In The Pub - Philly group
Cafe Walnut
703 Walnut Street · Philadelphia, PA
Photo of Skeptics In The Pub - Philly group
Skeptics In The Pub - Philly
public group