Our Attention Span is Shorter than a Goldfish!

“Goldfish effect” or “Goldfish effect”; It is a term that describes how short our attention span is, referring to goldfish with very short attention spans.

This situation, which develops in connection with the change in our lifestyle, causes many of us to experience ADHD, even if we are not aware of it or even if it is small-scale. (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) The owner did it!

As our average attention span has decreased over time, we have become smaller than a goldfish!

Attention span of the average person 13 years apart When measured, the following results were obtained:

• Year 2000: 12 seconds
• Year 2013: 8 seconds

8 seconds, shorter than the attention span of a goldfish It meant!

So what is the reason for this decrease in our attention level?

In this digitalizing world where we can access all kinds of information or entertainment sources with a single click, “instant gratification” We’ve gotten pretty used to the feeling. We can access anything we want, whenever we want. It is as if the world is at our fingertips.

Of course, this situation also has negative consequences. Researchers, the way we use the internet He is concerned that it is having a serious impact on our attention span. Many of us cannot focus on a single task. We cannot watch a movie for 1.5-2 hours without doing anything else.

The “multitasking” feature in our technological devices, especially phones, has caused us to get used to doing everything at the same time and shorten our concentration time.

Think of your phone’s screen; You receive notifications from multiple platforms nearby or at the same time, you choose to enter Instagram, when the home page opens, you see both posts, stories and incoming message notifications. While you are there, you look at a post, Meanwhile another message from above It comes and you start to think about it… We could go on and on with these examples, but you already understand what we mean.

Short content such as TikTok and Reels; It took the situation to an even more dire point.

As our time to endure long content decreased, we started to be presented with shorter content. Like this in the form of supply and demand We triggered each other. With each short content offered, we started to want even shorter content.

Finally; Sometimes a few seconds long, such as TikTok, Reels or YouTube Shorts, 1-2 minutes if we can bear it We got used to the content. As the duration of the content increased, our concentration decreased!

In short; We process more information faster with short bursts of high attention.

The unlimited information at our disposal and the content that gives us short-term pleasure cause our attention level to increase in those few seconds of content and decrease a few seconds later. Unfortunately, as we get used to this, Our attention span will decrease as we go looks like.

What can we do to prevent it?

• Trying to re-consume a content we enjoy (movie, TV series, book, etc.) and in the meantime Not to be affected by other stimulants we can work. We can then replace the ingredients with those we will consume for the first time.
• We can limit our level of social media usage. We reduce the content we enjoy when we really need it We can try to use it.
• Content durations gradually increasing we can accustom ourselves to watching or reading them.