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Twitter hurts your brainOctober 2nd, 2009 |
Dr. Tracy Alloway of Scotland’s University of Stirling, says her study shows using Facebook stretches our “working memory” our short-term or recent memory, while Twitter, YouTube and text messages tend to weaken it.
Alloway studies working memory and has developed a training program to increase the performance of children – ages 11 to 14 – who are slow learners. She found:
- Keeping up-to-date with Facebook improved the children’s IQ scores
- Playing video games – especially those that require planning and strategy – and Sudoku also were beneficial
- Using Twitter, YouTube and text messaging does not engage enough of the brain to be helpful, and actually reduce attention span.
via HigherEdMorning.com » Blog Archive » Study: How Twitter is hurting students.
which was via @Dusanwriter on… Twitter. 
At this point, it is completely unsurprising to see yet another validation of the ways in which games and puzzles can help the brain. It was interesting to see, however, that Twitter and the like may simply be more akin to the random reinforcement dopamine jolts of addiction.
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