As students, it seems that social media and digital technology have increasingly diminished our attention spans, which definitely has significant consequences for our performance. Attention span is defined as “the length of time in which an individual can concentrate on one specific task or other item of interest” (American Psychological Association Dictionary of Psychology). Because of our desire to “media multitask,” the prominence of short-form entertainment from apps like TikTok and Instagram, combined with the dopamine effect, our brains are being trained to expect constant stimulation, which has undermined our ability to focus for extended periods of time.
One key factor is media multitasking, where individuals focus their attention on multiple digital platforms simultaneously. According to the National Library of Medicine, multitasking can impair academic performance and reduce “grit,” the perseverance needed to complete challenging tasks. A study by Firth et al. revealed that even brief exposure to internet-related technology led participants to adopt multitasking behaviors, which in turn reduced their cognitive performance. This indicates that media multitasking, particularly among younger individuals, can lead to a long-term decline in concentration and problem-solving skills.
Additionally, the short-form entertainment prevalent on platforms like TikTok and Instagram has exacerbated this decline. These platforms tend to present their content in bite-sized chunks designed to catch attention quickly. According to Sophia Hsu, “TikTok’s algorithm presents its users with a cycle of engaging clickbait, bright colors and catchy songs packed into short videos, with the intention of acclimating viewers to process content quicker and with less depth” (The Standard). This constant stream of information makes it much harder to focus on tasks that require prolonged attention, like studying or attending lectures.
The “dopamine effect” is another major contributor to reduced attention spans. Social media algorithms are designed to provide instant gratification, which triggers dopamine releases in the brain, making digital interactions feel more rewarding. According to Jyothsna Bhat (PsyD) adolescents who spend large amounts of time with electronics “have trained their brain to receive heightened stimulation and the accompanying dopamine boosts” (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Children who are introduced to social media tend to be trained to multi-task to such a high degree that they are unable to focus on one task at a time.
To address these issues, strategies like monitoring screen time, creating tech-free zones, and teaching delayed gratification can help mitigate the detrimental effects of social media. Ultimately, by fostering mindfulness in our digital consumption habits, mitigating and preventing distraction and advocating for more balanced digital technology and social media uses, we can aspire to bring our attention spans back to the way they used to be.
