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With life getting more demanding and hectic all the time With life getting more demanding and hectic
hectic
X
all the time
With
life
getting
more
demanding
and
hectic
all
the
time
it seems there's only one way to cope - multitasking! it seems there's only one way to cope - multitasking
multitasking
X
!
it
seems
there's
only
one
way
to
cope
multitasking
Gurus and life hackers make a living telling us how to get better at it. Gurus
Gurus
X
and life hackers
life hackers
X
make a living telling us how to get better at it.
Gurus
and
life
hackers
make
a
living
telling
us
how
to
get
better
at
it
But can we actually multitask? But can we actually multitask?
But
can
we
actually
multitask
The term was first used in the '60s, to describe computer performance. The term was first used in the '60s, to describe computer performance.
The
term
was
first
used
in
the
'60s
to
describe
computer
performance
The human brain, though, is not a computer The human brain, though, is not a computer
The
human
brain
though
is
not
a
computer
and human attention is a very limited resource. and human attention is a very limited resource.
and
human
attention
is
a
very
limited
resource
Some psychologists model visual attention as being like a spotlight. Some psychologists model visual attention as being like a spotlight
spotlight
X
.
Some
psychologists
model
visual
attention
as
being
like
a
spotlight
It can only be shone in one direction at any one time. It can only be shone in one direction at any one time.
It
can
only
be
shone
in
one
direction
at
any
one
time
Our primary focus - what we're paying most attention to - Our primary focus - what we're paying most attention to -
Our
primary
focus
what
we're
paying
most
attention
to
is like the brightly lit area in the centre of the beam. is like the brightly lit area in the centre of the beam
beam
X
.
is
like
the
brightly
lit
area
in
the
centre
of
the
beam
It can also be understood as being like a zoom lens - It can also be understood as being like a zoom lens -
It
can
also
be
understood
as
being
like
a
zoom
lens
we can choose to narrow our focus to concentrate in detail, we can choose to narrow
narrow
X
our focus to concentrate in detail,
we
can
choose
to
narrow
our
focus
to
concentrate
in
detail
or widen it, to be aware of more things simultaneously. or widen it, to be aware of more things simultaneously.
or
widen
it
to
be
aware
of
more
things
simultaneously
But we can't be zoomed in and out at the same time. But we can't be zoomed in and out at the same time.
But
we
can't
be
zoomed
in
and
out
at
the
same
time
Even though we're constantly receiving a huge amount Even though we're constantly receiving a huge amount
Even
though
we're
constantly
receiving
a
huge
amount
of information from our senses, it's only possible for a small amount of information from our senses, it's only possible for a small amount
of
information
from
our
senses
it's
only
possible
for
a
small
amount
to make it through to conscious awareness. to make it through to conscious awareness.
to
make
it
through
to
conscious
awareness
Watch the next section very carefully, Watch the next section very carefully,
Watch
the
next
section
very
carefully
and pay particular attention to how many balls bounce in the circle. and pay particular attention to how many balls bounce
bounce
X
in the circle.
and
pay
particular
attention
to
how
many
balls
bounce
in
the
circle
How many can you count? Seven, right? How many can you count? Seven, right?
How
many
can
you
count
Seven
right
But did you also notice that little dinosaur? But did you also notice that little dinosaur?
But
did
you
also
notice
that
little
dinosaur
What about the changing shape of the circle? What about the changing shape of the circle?
What
about
the
changing
shape
of
the
circle
Or the smiley face on one of the balls? Or the smiley face on one of the balls?
Or
the
smiley
face
on
one
of
the
balls
This shows just how powerful focused attention is. This shows just how powerful focused attention is.
This
shows
just
how
powerful
focused
attention
is
Being able to filter out irrelevant detail is an amazingly useful tool, Being able to filter
filter
X
out irrelevant
irrelevant
X
detail is an amazingly useful tool,
Being
able
to
filter
out
irrelevant
detail
is
an
amazingly
useful
tool
but it means we can miss things that are right under our noses - but it means we can miss things that are right under our noses -
but
it
means
we
can
miss
things
that
are
right
under
our
noses
an effect known as inattention blindness. an effect known as inattention blindness
blindness
X
.
an
effect
known
as
inattention
blindness
You can see this very clearly in the famous Invisible Gorilla experiment. You can see this very clearly in the famous Invisible Gorilla experiment.
You
can
see
this
very
clearly
in
the
famous
Invisible
Gorilla
experiment
When asked to concentrate exclusively When asked to concentrate exclusively
When
asked
to
concentrate
exclusively
on how often basketball players in white pass the ball, on how often basketball players in white pass the ball,
on
how
often
basketball
players
in
white
pass
the
ball
most people completely miss the gorilla most people completely miss the gorilla
most
people
completely
miss
the
gorilla
walking across the screen and beating his chest. walking across the screen and beating his chest.
walking
across
the
screen
and
beating
his
chest
We just don't have the capacity to process everything at once. We just don't have the capacity to process everything at once.
We
just
don't
have
the
capacity
to
process
everything
at
once
This is a particular problem when we try to multitask. This is a particular problem when we try to multitask.
This
is
a
particular
problem
when
we
try
to
multitask
We can switch attention from one task to another and back again. We can switch attention from one task to another and back again.
We
can
switch
attention
from
one
task
to
another
and
back
again
But when attention is overloaded, we miss things, But when attention is overloaded
overloaded
X
, we miss things,
But
when
attention
is
overloaded
we
miss
things
and the result is nearly always that we perform tasks less well and the result is nearly always that we perform tasks less well
and
the
result
is
nearly
always
that
we
perform
tasks
less
well
than we would doing them one at a time. than we would doing them one at a time.
than
we
would
doing
them
one
at
a
time
It's only truly possible to do two things at once if they require It's only truly possible to do two things at once if they require
It's
only
truly
possible
to
do
two
things
at
once
if
they
require
different sets of cognitive resources. different sets of cognitive resources.
different
sets
of
cognitive
resources
For example, it's totally possible to read a book and listen to music For example, it's totally possible to read a book and listen to music
For
example
it's
totally
possible
to
read
a
book
and
listen
to
music
at the same time. at the same time.
at
the
same
time
Which would suggest that driving while talking on the phone Which would suggest that driving while talking on the phone
Which
would
suggest
that
driving
while
talking
on
the
phone
is not a problem, as long as it's a hands-free phone. is not a problem, as long as it's a hands-free phone.
is
not
a
problem
as
long
as
it's
a
hands-free
phone
It's not that simple though - It's not that simple though -
It's
not
that
simple
though
research has shown that while talking on the phone research has shown that while talking on the phone
research
has
shown
that
while
talking
on
the
phone
we have a tendency to create mental images, we have a tendency
tendency
X
to create mental images,
we
have
a
tendency
to
create
mental
images
and this uses the same visual resources needed for driving. and this uses the same visual resources needed for driving.
and
this
uses
the
same
visual
resources
needed
for
driving
And if visual resources become too stretched, And if visual resources become too stretched
stretched
X
,
And
if
visual
resources
become
too
stretched
it's perfectly possible for a driver to look directly at a hazard it's perfectly possible for a driver to look directly at a hazard
hazard
X
it's
perfectly
possible
for
a
driver
to
look
directly
at
a
hazard
but, just like with that little dinosaur, fail to see it. but, just like with that little dinosaur, fail to see it.
but
just
like
with
that
little
dinosaur
fail
to
see
it
Not everything will make it through to conscious awareness. Not everything will make it through to conscious awareness.
Not
everything
will
make
it
through
to
conscious
awareness
So multitasking makes us at best, inefficient, So multitasking
multitasking
X
makes us at best, inefficient
inefficient
X
,
So
multitasking
makes
us
at
best
inefficient
and at worst, downright dangerous. and at worst, downright
downright
X
dangerous.
and
at
worst
downright
dangerous
If you're feeling like you should be doing 17 things at once, remember, If you're feeling like you should be doing 17 things at once, remember,
If
you're
feeling
like
you
should
be
doing
17
things
at
once
remember
that's just not the way your brain is wired. that's just not the way your brain is wired
wired
X
.
that's
just
not
the
way
your
brain
is
wired
Thanks for watching. Thanks for watching.
Thanks
for
watching
Don't forget to subscribe and click the bell to receive notifications for new videos. Don't forget to subscribe and click the bell to receive notifications for new videos.
Don't
forget
to
subscribe
and
click
the
bell
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for
new
videos
See you again soon! See you again soon!
See
you
again
soon

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