neuroplasticity & technology

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Neuroplasticity


What is it?‘Neurons that fire together wire together’The brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections


“Your brain — every brain — is a work in progress. It is “plastic.” From the day we’re born to the

day we die, it continuously revises and remodels, improving or slowly declining, as a function

of how we use it.”Michael Merzenich, Ph.D


How’s it work?(The Science)Synaptic plasticity – changes in the strength of synapse connectionsSynaptogenesis – Creation and removal of whole synapsesNeuronal migration – Neural connections moving to different areas of the brainNeurogenesis – Creation of neurons


Why is it important?Bill Bernbach used to talk about “the unchanged man” in the 50s – this is no longer relevantThe pace of change with technology is faster than ever – never in history have our behaviours transformed so much, so quickly – we now check our mobiles 150 times a dayMobile connectivity, ubiquitous access to information, and completely new ways to communicate are all fundamentally changing our brains – we think differently as a result of our behavioursThis means brands are speaking to different people to the past, who behave and think in different ways


Examples


We have worse impulse controlA 2013 study found video games can inhibit players' ability to rein in impulsive or aggressive behaviour Researchers concluded that forcing players to make snap decisions in violent situations made them more likely to react with immediate, unchecked hostility in real life


We dream in colour In 2008, a study found that adults over the age of 55 who had grown up in a household with a black and white television set were more likely to dream in black and whiteYounger participants, who grew up in the age of Technicolor, nearly always experienced their dreams in colour


Our memories are worse

In 2007, a neuroscientist polled 3,000 people and found that the younger respondents were less likely to remember standard personal information, such as a relative's birthday or even their own phone number


…but we can improve them

IMPACT study of AARP Brain Fitness software showed that on average people made an improvement in their memory equivalent to 10 yearsParticipants successfully increased their auditory processing by 131%3/4 users reported significant positive changes in their lives


We create moreTech makes it easier for artists and non-artists alike to engage with creative mediaAuthor Clay Shirkey argues that the Internet enhances the excess hours and brain power we can devote to pursuing activities and goals we enjoySocial media sharing encourages us to create and share things of our own


We have better visual skillsA 2013 study found that first-person shooter video games boost decision-making and visual skillsThese games force players to make snap decisions based on visual cues, which enhances visuospatial attention skillsGamers are also better at detecting contrast between objects in dim environments