Unveiling the Effects of Reels and TikTok on the Brain
In this post, we go through some of the negative cognitive effects of excessive short form content consumption. Below is a depiction of one of the side effects which is scattered memories hence the name of the piece is ‘scattered memories’.
Note: I am an average TikTok user
“scattered memories”
Introduction
Short-form content platforms like Reels and TikTok have become increasingly popular in recent years, providing users with bite-sized videos that are easy to consume and share.
However, there is growing concern about the cognitive effects of consuming short-form content, particularly in terms of memory and attention span. The purpose of this article is to explore the impact of short-form content on memory and cognitive processes, drawing on insights from recent studies and research.
Understanding Short-Form Content?
Short-Form content refers to content normally under 30 secs or less which can range from snippets of songs, funny clips, bitesize news segments and more. With the latest AI tools, any content can be squeezed into a TikTok or YouTube short.
For that reason, there are a staggering 34 million videos posted on TikTok every day. The content available is endless and it is the reason you can find yourself scrolling for hours with no end in sight!
sourced from unsplash
The Borderless and Boundless Effect
Add to that the seamless and borderless viewing experience available to you 24/7. The effect on the eyes has been studied and acknowledged but not the effect on memory and cognitive functions.
If you watched Wall-E before, I would compare the experience to that observed in the movie. Not the silly overweight adults requiring mobility vehicles to get around but the sensory overload from all content being displayed on the screens. The characters display a certain slowness as well as a lack of critical thinking. If you haven’t watched it, I would definitely recommend it.
Scene from Wall-E: photo via Pixar Animation Studios
Navigating The Psychological Effects
Fragmented Attention: The rapid succession of short videos fosters a scattered attention span. Our brains struggle to focus on a single concept, hindering the consolidation of information into memory.
Superficial Processing: The brevity of these videos encourages surface-level processing. Complex ideas are often distilled to their simplest forms, leading to shallower understanding and weaker memory formation.
Memory Interference: The sheer volume of videos can lead to interference, where one video’s content interferes with the retention of another. This results in a mosaic of fragmented memories.
ai-generated depiction of ‘fragmented memories’
These are not effects that appear over a short time frame but rather due to prolonged exposure to information overload. As time goes on, the accumulation of these fragmented memories can lead to a decreased ability to recall information accurately, reduced critical thinking skills, and an overall decline in cognitive efficiency.
This phenomenon reflects the challenge of managing overstimulation in an age of constant digital engagement.
My Opinion
I would be the first to say that I am not the most responsible user of TikTok and other short-form content mediums. I can find myself scrolling endlessly and what I do to mitigate the effects is instantly stop when I am no longer processing what I am seeing deeply. Not that you need to process anything online that deeply anyways.
I call it autopilot and most people find themselves in it when they use it for more than 10 minutes I would say. I would say no longer than 10 minutes of TikTok or reels is healthier but not healthy because in that time you would of viewed 20 videos. Instead you could have watched one YouTube video in that time.
Overall, its just better not to use it in my opinion. It’s that simple!
Update: I opened TikTok shortly after writing this article.
