How Digital Overstimulation Affects Adolescents' Ability to Focus

By: Sofía Lodovichi 

Did you know that the digital age alarmingly affects teenagers' ability to concentrate? A study reveals that they check their phones every 15 minutes and experience anxiety when they are not connected. How does this digital overstimulation impact their mental and cognitive well-being? And what can we do to mitigate its effects? 

The Attention 

Attention is a limited cognitive resource whose total functioning lasts only about 20 minutes. Digital overstimulation, on the other hand, interferes with its proper management. When adolescents switch between tasks, such as studying while checking social media, they experience "task-switching costs," which slow down cognitive processing and reduce efficiency (Rubinstein, Meyer & Evans, 2001). 

Research indicates that multitasking can decrease productivity by up to 40% (American Psychological Association, 2006). This phenomenon, known as "attentional residue," occurs when a part of the brain remains focused on a previous task, making it difficult to concentrate on the current one. 

Why social media is so addictive 

Social media is designed to capture attention by activating the brain's dopamine system, which reinforces compulsive behaviors. With a specific algorithm aligned to what catches our attention, designed to keep us trapped in their systems. 

Teenagers receive instant gratification through "likes," comments, and messages, which creates a cycle of constant checking and a reduction in sustained attention capacity. A study by Twenge, Martin, and Spitzberg (2018) found a strong correlation between excessive social media use and increased distraction in adolescents. The intermittent rewards provided by notifications condition users to expect frequent stimuli, making it difficult to concentrate on prolonged tasks. 

Consequences 

Adolescence is the second period of greatest brain growth. Since the brain and social skills of adolescents develop rapidly, they are particularly susceptible to social media addiction. (Miller, 2023) 

While chronic digital overstimulation has long-term consequences on academic performance and mental health. Students who frequently multitask achieve worse exam results and have difficulties developing learning. Additionally, a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) revealed that teenagers who use social media for more than three hours a day may be at a higher risk of experiencing mental health issues. Since the pandemic, an increase in depression and anxiety among adolescents has been

observed, particularly low self-esteem, eating disorders, body image issues, and suicidal thoughts. (Miller, 2022) 

high digital consumption is associated with an increase in anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders, factors that further exacerbate concentration problems. 

In the long term, excessive use of technology alters the brain's neural connections, making it difficult to maintain attention on complex tasks. 

Conclusión 

Digital overstimulation significantly affects adolescents' ability to concentrate, causing cognitive overload, decreased productivity, and negative effects on mental health. 

Bibliography 

Rubinstein, J. S., Meyer, D. E., & Evans, J. E. (2001). Executive control of cognitive processes in task switching. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 27(4), 763–797. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-1523.27.4.763 

Twenge, J. M., Martin, G. N., & Spitzberg, B. H. (2018). Trends in U.S. adolescents’ media use, 1976–2016: The rise of digital media, the decline of TV, and the (near) demise of print. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 8(4), 329–345. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000203 

Jefferson Health. (n.d.). The addictiveness of social media: How teens get hooked. Jefferson Health. 

https://www.jeffersonhealth.org/your-health/living-well/the-addictiveness-of-social-media-how -teens-get-hooked 

Dolan, J. (2021, October 29). Addictive potential of social media explained. Stanford Medicine. 

https://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2021/10/29/addictive-potential-of-social-media-explained/