In 2021, I heard the terms “digital dementia” and “digital amnesia” for the first time. As a lifelong learner and voracious seeker of knowledge, I dove into a rabbit hole of research. I uncovered the potentially devastating effects digital dopamine and digital deluge have on our abilities to focus, learn, retain and remember.

Dopamine

According to an article published by the Cleveland Clinic, dopamine is a chemical transmitter that also acts as a hormone to regulate memory, attention, reward/motivation, behavior/cognition, sleep, mood and learning. Dopamine is intended to help us stay biologically focused and rewards us for surviving.

Known as the “feel-good hormone,” dopamine plays a tremendous role in our sense of self and accomplishment. Our brains are hardwired to seek out behaviors that release dopamine. Unfortunately for us, dopamine is highly addictive. It can be compared to addictions to alcohol, nicotine, gambling and now, our personal devices.

Digital Deluge

According to Jim Kwik, author of “Limitless,” we consume as much data in a single day as an average person in the 1400s would have absorbed in an entire lifetime! The Wall Street Journal reported in “How Smartphones Sabotage Your Brain’s Ability to Focus,” that “9-5” is out and 24/7 is in. The average working adult receives around 63 notifications per day, attends to an average of 90 emails per day and makes approximately 2,000 micro-decisions per day. And with each notification comes a “hit” of digital dopamine creating an endless cycle of consumption, reward and craving leading to more consumption, reward and craving.

Not only are we overwhelmed with copious amounts of information every day; but to consume this much information, we must practice what Dr. Gloria Mark refers to as “attention switching.” On average, we switch our attention every 15 seconds for an average of eight hours per day. In doing so, we have trained (and potentially rewired) our brains to become chronically distracted.

Digital Dementia

The term “digital dementia” was coined by neuroscientist Manfred Spitzer. It describes how the overuse of digital technology results in the breakdown of cognitive abilities. Additionally, Spitzer argues that short-term memory pathways will start to deteriorate from underuse if we overuse technology.

Have you ever forgotten someone’s name within moments of being introduced? How many phone numbers do you have memorized? Birthdays? Passwords?

When I was in graduate school, I argued that learning by memorization was impractical and outdated. Not only do we carry smart devices in our pockets, but we also have the World Wide Web at our fingertips. Anything we want or need to know can be done with a few clicks and swipes, right? The key was learning how to source information from scholarly sources.

More than a decade later, I have come to the realization that our brains function as muscles and not as hard drives. The more we use our brain, the stronger it gets and the more it can store. When we turn to technology to recall information without first trying to produce the answer ourselves, it seems we are doing ourselves harm.

Digital Amnesia

According to a study published by PubMed, there have been changes in the white and gray matter of our brains. These alterations have impaired the acquisition of memories and learning — known risk factors for dementia.

What is the result of digital dementia? Digital amnesia.

Penn State University’s Julie Eble shared that while digital amnesia has not been recognized scientifically yet, cognitive scientists agree that relying less on the mind builds fewer neuron connections in the brain, thus stagnating its development.

Case Study: Duolingo

Considering what you have learned thus far, it is probably no surprise to you that the most downloaded app is TikTok. You may have also noticed that online articles now provide an “average read time.” Hollywood has also adjusted to our shortened attention spans and needs to attention switch. According to David Pogue’s reporting in an episode of CBS Sunday Morning, the average movie scene is now under five seconds.

So, how do we combat digital deluge, shortened attention spans, our insatiable cravings for dopamine while creating an opportunity for learning?

Luis Von Ahn, founder of Duolingo, has been successful in utilizing technology to capture our attention and maintain engagement while creating an opportunity for deep learning.

Duolingo uses the same psychological techniques as apps like Instagram, TikTok and mobile games to keep people engaged with education. The app utilizes streaks to bring learners back to study every day and notifications to remind users without spamming them, “Smart phones come equipped with the most addictive drugs that humanity has ever engineered … I hope for a future in which screen time is not a bad thing in which we can deliver high-quality education to everyone.”

Implementation of Evidence-Based L&D Strategies

Our L&D team focuses on four areas: high engagement, gamification, addressing the forgetting curve and high-quality content.

When our learners access our learning management system (LMS), they are presented with a “Netflix” feel. To mimic the appearance of streaming services, the learner is presented with a moving carousel of vibrant billboards advertising learning content. Polls and surveys capture feedback while course ratings allow learners to select content based on a 1-5-star rating system by other learners.

Our L&D manager, Alicia Johnson, also serves as our senior instructional designer. At the course level, she incentivizes the release of digital dopamine by incorporating gamification techniques to reward learners with badges, visually appealing graphics like confetti, and recognizable gaming “sounds.” Additionally, she provides gamified assessments and incorporates “brain breaks” in long-form content.

As a team, we address the “forgetting curve” by assigning microlearning weekly to reinforce compliance and knowledge of company policies. These are assigned on Mondays to capture learners when they are in their highest focus attentional state.

Last, our content requirements, whether developed internally or sourced externally must meet the following criteria: relevant; multimodal; interactive; evidence-based; accessible; gamified; customizable; and able to be accessed from our internal LMS.

As a result, our 450 learners access the LMS an average of 11,000 times each month and our course completion rates consistently exceed 96%.

Conclusion: Embracing the Red Pill

As we navigate the complexities of adult learning in an ever-evolving digital landscape, it is important to understand how technology can profoundly affect the cognitive abilities of the learners we serve. The journey down the rabbit hole reveals challenges potentially posed by shrinking attention spans, digital dementia, digital amnesia, and excessive “hits” of dopamine.

By understanding science and leveraging evidence-based strategies, we can help our learners capitalize on their focus attentional state, address the “forgetting curve,” and foster deep learning. The success of learning platforms like Duolingo demonstrates that technology, when used purposefully, can be a powerful ally in our L&D tool belts.

Moving forward, I challenge you to embrace the red pill and further explore Wonderland by diving even deeper into the research, implementing your own strategies to support the cognitive well-being of your learners, while sharing your successes with others.