Posted on 04/23/2005 2:03:50 PM PDT by AZLiberty
Workers distracted by email and phone calls suffer a fall in IQ more than twice that found in marijuana smokers, new research has claimed. The study for computing firm Hewlett Packard warned of a rise in "infomania", with people becoming addicted to email and text messages.
Researchers found 62% of people checked work messages at home or on holiday.
The firm said new technology can help productivity, but users must learn to switch computers and phones off.
Losing sleep
The study, carried out at the Institute of Psychiatry, found excessive use of technology reduced workers' intelligence.
Those distracted by incoming email and phone calls saw a 10-point fall in their IQ - more than twice that found in studies of the impact of smoking marijuana, said researchers.
More than half of the 1,100 respondents said they always responded to an email "immediately" or as soon as possible, with 21% admitting they would interrupt a meeting to do so.
The University of London psychologist who carried out the study, Dr Glenn Wilson, told the Daily Mail that unchecked infomania could reduce workers' mental sharpness.
Those who are constantly breaking away from tasks to react to email or text messages suffer similar effects on the mind as losing a night's sleep, he said.
I've often told people that I'm an infomaniac, but they just look at me funny.
I would say I am addicted to information, but fall in IQ?
"Researchers found 62% of people checked work messages at home or on holiday"
This is stupid. Of course many of us do. It is because we are requested to do so by our employers. That is why I have this Blackberry attached to my hip 24/7.
Is it your word choice,
or do you always have a
pancake on your head?
No, I think I just need to enunciate more carefully.
Apparently my IQ must have suffered a steep decline, as I'm unable to understand what the relationship is between the loss of intelligence and reading e-mail, text msgs etc. I read the whole article in an attempt to grasp the significance- but alas- am still STUPID:)
What does the study mean? That we're experiencing more stress as a result of info overload, and thus losing intelligence? Or is it the starting and stopping tasks that causes it?
I see where the author is headed- but have no idea how he got there...
Is this article serious?Is the article claiming that infomania(ie being bombarded with info)causes a demonstrable decline in IQ?Could it be inferring that too much info inhibits performance?
i don't get it...
I've got it.Infomania=sensory overload=distraction from task at hand,resulting in a 10pt drop in IQ ie:real time Task Performance(TP).As the level of "interference" increases,there is a corresponding drop in performance which(by some methodology?)the author has determined to be 10%.The authors contention that infomania is more debilitating that MJ intoxication is imo totaly w/o merit.Grossly bogus.
There are many possible readings, but the conclusion could be as simple as, "Don't answer your email during your IQ test".
This from the same BBC that planted liberal disruptors in a conservative meeting?
I think they must be IMing each other too much.
I agree.
Well then. That tears it. I'm switching.
Hmm. I wonder what HP is up to. And comparing the "iq loss" to pot smoking? What else is in the recent news regarding pot? ACLU caught on tape smoking pot at the Minuteman borders. Does this mean they aren't getting the "email"?
Where to start with this article.. d'oh.
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