Alternative theory: Social media (and the Internet in general) consists of countless small pieces of highly engaging information, which hardly require concentration. This means it is both addictive and underutilizes and therefore weakens our ability to concentrate on longer text. The addictiveness makes it hard to stop quitting Internet-based consumption, and the weakened concentration skill makes it hard to start reading a book.
That’s true. Another theory is that our tolerance for “small pieces of highly engaging information” increases the more we consume, so we need a higher dosage, and if we abstain for a while, the tolerance goes down again (the sensitivity increases), and we no longer need as much. Similar to how you “need” less sugar for food to feel appropriately sweet, if you abstained a while from sugar.
“For a while” is usually, like, day for me. Sometimes even hours. I don’t think that whatever damage other addictions inflict on cognitive function is that much easy to reverse.
Alternative theory: Social media (and the Internet in general) consists of countless small pieces of highly engaging information, which hardly require concentration. This means it is both addictive and underutilizes and therefore weakens our ability to concentrate on longer text. The addictiveness makes it hard to stop quitting Internet-based consumption, and the weakened concentration skill makes it hard to start reading a book.
It doesn’t explain why I fully regain concentration ability after abstaining for a while?
That’s true. Another theory is that our tolerance for “small pieces of highly engaging information” increases the more we consume, so we need a higher dosage, and if we abstain for a while, the tolerance goes down again (the sensitivity increases), and we no longer need as much. Similar to how you “need” less sugar for food to feel appropriately sweet, if you abstained a while from sugar.
“For a while” is usually, like, day for me. Sometimes even hours. I don’t think that whatever damage other addictions inflict on cognitive function is that much easy to reverse.