It's all because of that phone!

By Emilia Irimia

It's been defined for a long time that the human condition (in comparison with other species) relies on cognition; we are humans because we think, and vice versa [1]. But giving the present era, where thinking is mostly influenced by outside factors, is it really us who think, or do our sources of information think for us?

The notion of information processing has only been understood and taken seriously in the last few decades, as technology develops, and so do the platforms for exposing information. It's defined as an algorithmic transformation of informational content (input) into biological or behavioral responses (output), which may be conscious or unconscious [2].

Conscious processing of information may involve the concept of linguistic doubling (verbally acknowledging the contents), while this notion isn't present when the information is processed unconsciously. We solve math problems using theorems we learn consciously. Not only is this a conscious process, but it also acts consciously [3]. We have to understand this distinction before we move onto conscious processing without conscious functioning, which happens when learned behaviors become second nature, when they become habits as a result of repetition [4]. Without acknowledging grammar, orthography, or semantics, we become fluent users of the language we are exposed to as little kids; this is achieved unconsciously [5] (we can name subliminal perception, semantic priming, and secondary sensory processing as unconscious mechanisms defined by different combinations of input-output conscience).

With this in mind, we can proceed with understanding media (TV, video games, music, and texts) as leverage for executive functioning.

The Media Multitasking Index is a self-report scale used to determine a distinction in attention levels between light and heavy multitaskers based on how many apps they use simultaneously, in this particular study [6].

They demonstrated the heavy media multitaskers' tendency to register irrelevant (or false) information as appropriate one and to easily fall victim to distractors.

This is complementary to other (correlational) studies substantiating decreased gray matter in the anterior cingulate cortex [7], the brain region responsible for cognitive control, and increased activity in the prefrontal cortex [8] associated with attentional control, respectively, both of which point to deficient attention and concentration as consequences of heavy media multitasking. False information may have grave effects on behavior, as any information the human brain receives is initially coded as true and valid [9]. This piece of information then goes through a process of discerning its veracity, but in the case of heavy media multitasking, or lenient exposure to media, the contents may be perceived as bona fide. Excessive amounts of misleading information, distractors, articles accompanied by images, or any other material for sensory input are all factors for psychological contamination, or the idea of applying these behaviors intentionally with the purpose of them being processed unconsciously, and translated behaviorally [10].

On the other hand, studies have found that using media as an information source leads to increased intuitive thinking and leniency towards analytic thinking (the subjects essentially leave this to their smartphones while they focus on instinctive thinking models) [11]. This finding supports the definition of the left brain as "the digital brain" [12].

Therefore, though it may seem increasingly incriminated, social media has its bright side. The negative light which has been shed on it is partly because, yes, as proven previously, it does have significant (though predisposed to subjectivity) negative repercussions, and partly because scientists are only now starting to consider it referential to cognition due to its modern, recent character (oh, why, it took centuries to discover women are in fact not neurobiologically inferior and, all along, we were tangible resources!). It is believed that social media appeases the human need for social cognition and social rewarding processes.

While we wait for it to become general knowledge that, just maybe, the things that govern most of our daily lives and are apt to influence all sensory input are also relevant to our brains, and subsequently our behavior, attitude, and executive functioning, we should attentively consider the manner in which we ingest information and use media.

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