Causes of information overload and methods to combat it. Brain overload symptoms

INFORMATION OVERLOAD

While overstimulation at the sensory level increases the distortion with which we perceive reality, cognitive overstimulation (at the conscious level) interferes with our ability to “think.” Some people react to news involuntarily, others are aware and think about it first, and this depends on the ability to absorb, process, evaluate and store information.

Rational behavior typically depends on a continuous flow of input from the environment. It depends on the ability of the individual to predict more or less accurately and honestly the consequences of his own actions. The individual must be able to anticipate how he will react environment to his actions. Therefore, a sound mind as such is built on this human ability anticipate one's immediate personal future based on information from the environment.

However, when an individual is plunged into a rapidly and chaotically changing situation or into a news-stuffed environment, the accuracy of his foresight rapidly decreases. He can no longer make the rational corrective judgments upon which rational behavior depends.

In order to compensate for this, in order to raise the accuracy of his foresight to a normal level, a person must grasp and further receive much more information than before. He must do this with extreme high speed. In short, the faster change and novelty occur in the environment, the more information an individual needs in order to respond most effectively and make rational decisions.

However, there are limits to the perception of sensory information, there is a genetic limit to our ability to process information. In the words of psychologist George Miller of Rockefeller University, these are “strict limits on the amount of information we can take in, process, and remember.” Classifying information, summarizing and “coding” different ways, we are able to expand these limits until we have good reason to believe that our capabilities have been exhausted.

To discover and measure these outer limits, psychologists and information theorists use techniques to test what they call the "channel capacity" of the human body. In order to carry out these experiments, they consider the person as a “channel”. Information enters it from the outside. It is perceived and processed, then “comes out” in the form of an action based on the decision taken. The speed and accuracy of human information processing can be measured by comparing the speed of input information with the speed and accuracy of output information.

Information is defined and measured in special units called bits. Now experiments test the speed of information processing, including a wide range of tasks: reading, typing, playing the piano to create number scales or computing device. And since researchers disagree about the accuracy of the data obtained, they strictly agree on two basic principles: first, that a person has a limited " throughput"; secondly, that overcrowding the system leads to serious behavioral disturbances. Let's imagine, for example, an assembly line worker in a factory that produces children's blocks. His job is to press a button whenever a red cube passes in front of him on the conveyor belt. As long as the conveyor belt moves at a moderate speed, he does not experience any serious difficulties. His work is carried out with 100% accuracy. We know that if the speed is too slow, his consciousness will wander, his thoughts will wander and his performance will deteriorate. We also know that if the belt moves too fast, he will work erratically, miss button presses, get confused, and increase the inconsistency between his actions and the operation of the conveyor. He will become tense and irritable. He can even hit the car - out of complete powerlessness. Eventually he will refuse to participate in testing.

In this case, the information requirements are simple, but the picture also applies to a more complex test. Let now the cubes moving along the conveyor belt be multi-colored. A worker is supposed to press a button only when a certain combination of colors appears - say, a yellow cube is followed by two red and one green. In this task, he must receive and process much more information before deciding whether to press the button. Everything else remains the same, and he will have the same difficulties, increasing as the assembly line speeds up.

In an even more complex task, we not only subject the worker to the amount of data he must process before deciding whether to press a button, but we force him to decide which of several buttons to press. We also change the number of clicks on each button. Now his task looks like this: for a set of colors yellow-red-red-green, press button number 2 once; to dial green–blue–yellow–green, press button number 6 three times; etc. Such tasks require the worker to process a large number of information to complete the task given to him. Changing the conveyor speed in this case will immediately negate the accuracy of its operation. Similar experiments were conducted in order to evaluate the effect of an additional degree of task complexity on the performer's behavior. The tests became more complex, they included light flashes, musical sounds, letters, symbols, conversations and a wide range of other stimuli. The subjects were asked to tap their fingers on a table, speak single phrases, solve puzzles, and perform a variety of other tasks - this led to their complete inability to do anything.

The results clearly showed that, regardless of the nature of the task, there is a presentation speed, exceeding which, the task cannot be completed - and not simply because of the inadequacy of muscle effort, lack of agility, dexterity. The speed limit was often imposed by consciousness rather than by muscular limitations. These experiments also found that the more time the subject was given to choose a solution and complete the task, the more alternative courses of action were open to him.

It is clear that these discoveries can help us understand known forms of psychological and even mental disorders. Managers are concerned with the demands of fast, continuous and comprehensive decision making; people are inundated with information, facts and are constantly being tested; housewives confront screaming children, harsh phone calls, broken washing machines, the screams of rock from the teenagers' room and the plaintive howl of the TV from the small living room. People's ability to think and act is significantly weakened by the influence, the influx of information that overwhelms their senses. And it is more than likely that some of the symptoms noted in soldiers under stress during battle, in victims of natural disasters, and in travelers experiencing culture shock are akin to this type of information overload.

One of the pioneers of the study of computer science, Dr. James G. Miller, director of the Institute for Mental Health Research at the University of Michigan, emphatically stated that "saturating a person with more information than he can process... leads to breakdown." He stated that he was confident that information overload could be a cause various forms mental illness.

For example, one of the striking features of schizophrenia is “imprecise associative response.” Ideas and words that should be connected by analogy in the subject's brain are not connected, and on the contrary, those that normal people do not associate with each other at all are connected. The schizophrenic tends to think in random or overly subjective categories. If you give a set of different shapes - triangles, cubes, cones, etc. - a normal person will sort them out based on their geometric properties. A schizophrenic who is asked to classify them is likely to say: “They are all soldiers” or “They all make me sad.”

In Information Turmoil, Miller describes experiments that used word association tests to compare normal people with schizophrenics. Normal subjects were divided into two groups, they were asked to find associations different words with other words or concepts. One group worked at its natural rhythm. The second one worked under the pressure of a time limit, i.e. in conditions of accelerating information flow. Subjects under time pressure produced reactions that were more similar to those of schizophrenics than to the reactions of normal subjects working at their own pace. Similar experiments conducted by psychologists G. Uzdanski and L. Chapman made it possible to more accurately analyze the types of errors that subjects made when working under time pressure and high speed presentation of information. They also concluded that increasing reaction speed among normal people produces errors of the same nature as errors characteristic of schizophrenics.

“One thing that can be assumed,” Miller concludes, “... is that schizophrenia (as a still unknown process, possibly associated with a metabolic defect that increases neural “noise”) reduces the capacity of the channels, which includes the processing of cognitive information. Schizophrenics thus... have difficulty receiving information entering at normal speeds, just as normal people have difficulty receiving information at increased speeds. As a result, schizophrenics, at normal rates of information flow, make the same mistakes that normal people make at accelerated rates of information flow.” In short, Miller argues that the mechanism of human behavior breaks down under the influence of information overload, which may be associated with psychopathology, which we have not yet begun to study. But even now, without understanding its potential impact, we are increasing the rate of change in society. We put pressure on people to adapt to new rhythms of life, to face new situations and cope with them in an increasingly shorter time. We force them to choose fast-changing items. In other words, we encourage them to process information at a much higher speed and at a faster pace than in slow-moving societies. Therefore, there is no doubt that we are subjecting at least some of them to overstimulation of consciousness. What consequences this will have for the mental health of people in technologically advanced societies remains to be determined.

What is information overload in people and what are its consequences for productivity? How to deal with information overload?

The volume of information bombarding us wherever we go is constantly growing, and, as a result, we have to absorb and react to great amount unnecessary data.

Today there are many more resources operational communications and data access. Mobile phones, Internet, voice and Email, instant exchange messages, tele- or videoconferencing significantly contribute to increasing and accelerating information flow.
Despite the greater availability of information, fewer people are involved in managing it. Secretaries and personal assistants have been replaced by laptops and PDAs.
Everyone wants to receive information as quickly as possible. Thus, many customers are already getting used to the fact that they can make a purchase in a matter of minutes, just by clicking a couple of times computer mouse. To place an order, they no longer have to wait for a pile of paperwork to pass through several hands.
The organization of activities has also undergone significant changes: the implementation of many projects is now entrusted to external contractors, which requires uninterrupted and prompt communication between numerous groups of workers. If an employee's job responsibilities require him to participate in several projects at once, he may be bombarded with information from all sides!
Globalization and deregulation have brought new opportunities, but also increased competition and the need to carefully analyze a rapidly changing market.

The main problem is that we all have to deal with information flows without any preparation or time! We often find it difficult to process these flows - we feel as if we are drowning in them, struggling to make time for more important tasks.

What is the scale of the problem?

Many of us realize that in order to do our jobs well, we need to be able to manage the flow of information, but processing huge amounts of data takes more and more time.

Its lack leads to stress, and sometimes to complete exhaustion (see article about). According to a study conducted by Reuters, two-thirds of managers have high blood pressure, and a third have various types of health problems caused by information overload.

What is the result?

Information overload is one of the leading causes of stress at work. It, in turn, affects all aspects of our lives, as it manifests itself, among other things, in the form of unreasonable anxiety, problems with short-term memory, decreased concentration and deterioration of decision-making skills.

Information overload and methods to combat it

#1 Take control of the problem. Information management, like time planning, requires, above all, discipline. To keep everything under control, you need to decide for yourself how much time you are willing to spend on processing it.

First of all, define your limitations and create personal system information management. This might include setting clear time limits for reviewing and responding to emails, assigning them to your assistant, or only writing replies to those that are of interest to you.

Formulate a set of criteria that allows you to filter their flow. Even if by chance you miss something important, do not worry: indeed important information one way or another will come into your field of vision.

It would be a good idea to get rid of information that you are wasting your time on.

For example, you can ask to be removed from the list of employees in your company who receive mostly useless emails. emails"for all"; send a request to good filter spam the IT department or ask for only a summary of overly long meeting minutes or reports.

#2 Be rational in your search for information. When searching for information, remember the “ ”: 20% of what you access contains 80% of the information you need.

Nowadays we are bombarded with such a flow of information that the fear of losing sight of something prompts us to look through an endless amount of data, which, of course, takes a lot of time.

Remember that before the advent of the Internet, people had to make decisions with partial information and this was considered a management skill. Try to develop intuition along with acquiring knowledge - both will serve you well.

As part of a new rational approach to the search for knowledge, identify for yourself the main places to look for information and train yourself to go only there. You already know quality websites that specialize in your industry, so why waste time visiting anything else?

View only data that is relevant to your work, project or potential solution. Don't forget about the principles of time management, as they are also effective means combating information overload.

In most cases, you get all the necessary data from several main sites, so there is no need to waste time searching for new ones. Remember that the more specific your searches, the more effective they will be - for the most part. necessary information You get it in the first 10-15 minutes.

#3 Learn to say no. Try not to perform functions search engine for those who are too lazy to do it themselves. If you are asked for something like this, answer politely, but at the same time, if you are already swamped with work, do not give any hint that you can fulfill such a request.

#4 Limit your availability. If you want not to be disturbed during a short break, turn off mobile phone or enable call forwarding to voicemail. This will help you decide who to call back and when. Those who urgently need to contact you will find a way to do this.

#5 Learn to throw away unnecessary things. Have the courage to throw away papers with data or delete files if you no longer need them.

There are the following typical mistakes when trying to cope with information overload.

#1 You get caught up in the details. Diving into the details of available information is often a waste of time. People often worry that they will miss something important if they do not review all available sources. Resist the temptation to study all the information that appears on your computer screen or lands on your desktop.

#2 You don't prioritize. Determining the importance of the information received will save you hours of time, and you can also delegate some of the work on processing it to one of your team members, explaining what you should focus on and what you would like to receive.

Remember to give your colleague clear instructions and a deadline, but try not to add to their information overload!

#3 You never “switch off.” The inability to “disconnect” from the information flow can lead to excessive stress and overwork. Your blood pressure may rise, your thinking ability may deteriorate, and you may run out of patience.

Just as the body needs rest, the mind also needs it - and not just during sleep. Practice shows that the use of techniques such as meditation or yoga improves health, improves memory and stimulates creativity, and also helps to increase productivity and improve well-being.

If these techniques don't appeal to you, try other relaxing activities, such as listening to music, reading or light exercise. Anything that gives the mind a chance to rest a little is helpful.

Thus, information overload is a rather serious problem, widespread in various areas of human life. To maintain high performance, it requires close attention, discipline and consistently applied measures.

While overstimulation at the sensory level increases the distortion with which we perceive reality, cognitive overstimulation (at the conscious level) interferes with our ability to “think.” Some people react to news spontaneously, while others are aware and think about it first, and this depends on the ability to absorb, process, evaluate and store information 10 .

Rational behavior typically depends on a continuous flow of input from the environment. It depends on the individual's ability to predict more or less accurately and honestly the consequences of his own actions. An individual must be able to foresee how the environment will react to his actions. Therefore, the sound mind as such is built on this human ability to foresee its immediate personal

future based on information from the environment.

In order to compensate for this, in order to raise the accuracy of his foresight to a normal level, a person must grasp and continue to receive much more information than before. He must do this at extremely high speed. In short, the faster change and novelty occur in the environment, the more information an individual needs in order to respond most effectively and make rational decisions.

However, there are limits to the perception of sensory information, there is a genetic limit to our ability to process information. In the words of psychologist George Miller of Rockefeller University, these are “strict limits on the amount of information we can take in, process, and remember.” By classifying, summarizing, and "coding" information in various ways, we are able to push these limits until we have good reason to believe that our capabilities have been exhausted."

To discover and measure these outer limits, psychologists and information theorists use techniques to test what they call the "channel capacity" of the human body. In order to carry out these experiments, they consider man as a “channel”*. Information enters it from the outside. It is perceived and processed, then “comes out” in the form of an action based on the decision made. The speed and accuracy of human information processing can be measured by comparing the speed of input information with the speed and accuracy of output information**.

* through which information passes. - Note lane

** or output actions. - Note lane

Information is defined and measured in special units called bits*. Now experiments are testing the speed of information processing, including a wide range of tasks: reading, typing, playing the piano, to create number scales or a computing device. And because researchers disagree about the accuracy of the data they produce, they strictly agree on two basic principles: first, that humans have limited “carrying capacity”; secondly, that overcrowding the system leads to serious behavioral disturbances.

Let's imagine, for example, an assembly line worker in a factory that produces children's blocks. His job is to press a button whenever a red cube passes in front of him on the conveyor belt. As long as the conveyor belt moves at a moderate speed, he does not experience any serious difficulties. His work is carried out with 100% accuracy. We know that if the speed is too slow, his consciousness will wander, his thoughts will wander and his performance will deteriorate. We also know that if the belt moves too fast, he will work unsteadily, miss button presses, become confused, and increase the inconsistency between his actions and the operation of the conveyor. He will become tense and irritable. He can even hit the car - out of complete powerlessness. Eventually he will refuse to participate in testing.

* A bit is the amount of information necessary to make a choice between two equivalent (i.e., equally probable. - Note trans.) alternative type solutions. The number of bits that the selected solution must exceed is doubled.

more information before deciding whether to press the button. Everything else remains the same, and he will have the same difficulties, increasing as the assembly line speeds up.

Similar experiments were conducted in order to evaluate the effect of an additional degree of task complexity on the performer's behavior. The tests became more complex and included flashes of light, musical sounds, letters, symbols, conversations, and a wide range of other stimuli. The subjects were asked to tap their fingers on a table, speak single phrases, solve puzzles, and perform a variety of other tasks - this left them completely unable to do anything.

It is clear that these discoveries can help us understand known forms of psychological and even mental races.

construction Managers are concerned with the demands of fast, continuous and comprehensive decision making; people are inundated with information, facts and are constantly being tested; housewives confront screaming children, harsh phone calls, broken washing machines, screams of doom from the teenagers' room and the plaintive whine of the television from the small living room. People's ability to think and act is significantly weakened by the influence, the influx of information overwhelming their senses. And it is more than likely that some of the symptoms noted in soldiers under stress during battle, in victims of natural disasters, and in travelers experiencing culture shock are akin to this type of information overload.

One of the pioneers of the study of computer science, Dr. James G. Miller, director of the Institute for Mental Health Research at the University of Michigan, emphatically stated that "saturating a person with more information than he can process... leads to breakdown." He stated that he believed that information overload could be a cause of various forms of mental illness 13 .

In Information Turmoil, Miller describes experiments that used word association tests to compare normal people with schizophrenics. Normal subjects were divided into

two groups, they were asked to find associations of various words with other words or concepts. One group worked at its natural rhythm. The second one worked under the pressure of a time limit, i.e. in conditions of accelerating information flow. Subjects under time pressure produced responses that were more similar to those of schizophrenics than to those of normal subjects working at their own pace 14 .

Similar experiments conducted by psychologists G. Uzdanski and L. Chapman made it possible to more accurately analyze the types of errors made by subjects working under the pressure of time constraints and high speed of information presentation. They also concluded that increasing reaction speed among normal people produces errors of the same nature as errors characteristic of schizophrenics.

In short, Miller argues that the mechanism of human behavior breaks down under the influence of information overload, which may be associated with psychopathology, which we have not yet begun to study. But even now, without understanding its potential impact, we are increasing the rate of change in society. We put pressure on people, forcing them to adapt to new rhythms of life, to face new

situations and cope with them in an increasingly shorter time. We force them to choose fast-changing items. In other words, we encourage them to process information at a much higher speed and at a faster pace than in slow-moving societies. Therefore, there is no doubt that we are subjecting at least some of them to overstimulation of consciousness. What consequences this will have for the mental health of people in technologically advanced societies remains to be determined.

– ways to isolate yourself from unnecessary, redundant information.

Relevance

It is unlikely that anyone will argue with the fact that modern man drowning in excess information. In addition to the fact that we have to absorb a lot of information about work and study, hobbies and while communicating with friends, we are constantly drawn into streams of information that we did not order or ask for - friend feeds, advertising, spam and much more.

What is the problem with information overload?

It is well known that information overload causes stress, increased fatigue, poor sleep, appetite disturbances, etc. however, that's not all. Information overload prevents us from achieving our goals. How?

Due to the continuous flow of information, we get tired faster, and fatigue reduces our productivity and our results.
Too much information undermines our motivation to achieve our goals. For example, you would like to learn a foreign language, but you really understand that after that, due to information overload, not a single new word will fit into you.
Excess information makes us skim through information superficially. Remember when you were last time Did you read the book carefully? It is difficult to work with information thoughtfully if you are used to only skimming it with your eyes.
Everything we read and become acquainted with has almost no effect on us. We read the article, but didn’t have time to think about it, and are already reading the next one. Thus, information comes in and out without providing us with any benefit at all.

How to Avoid Information Overload

First of all, first of all - airplanes...

Start your day with the most important things, with your goals, with solving issues that are key, fundamental to your success. Don't go online until you've done all the basic things that make your day a success. Don't let the internet get in the way of achieving your goals.

Shut off unnecessary information

Delete spam without even looking at it, don’t click on links, don’t scroll through your friend feed. For the most part, people post complete nonsense - photos of their breakfasts and lunches, funny signs, selfies, outrage about something and delight about something. If you have a couple of friends whose feeds inspire you, go specifically to their page on free time when all the work is finished.

Search for information

Search engine - no best tool to search for information. You can drown in the links it gives you. Look for collections of links on thematic sites. For example, you are looking for good websites for Italian language learners. It will take you a lot of time to look through each site to find out how good it is. It would be more useful to spend it on the Italian language itself. Some thematic sites have collections of links describing the functions and capabilities of the sites. After looking through such a list in 2 minutes, you will get a clear idea of what is on a particular site. For example, paroladelgiorno.com is a site where, by subscribing to its newsletter, you will receive a new word in your inbox every day with examples of its use. Speakasap.com is a site where Italian grammar is presented in a concise form, that is, in 7 lessons, exercises are voiced by native speakers, there is an opportunity to test yourself and take part in the Italian marathon. Parliamoitaliano.altervista.org - an informative site dedicated to Italians and everything Italian, exercises are divided into levels and topics, there are audio texts and videos, as well as self-test exercises.

Avoid multitasking

Do your best to avoid multitasking. Scientists have proven that multitasking takes away the time it takes to switch from one task to another, and then return to the abandoned task. According to experts from the University of California at Irvine, a person spends about 28% of his working time on interruptions, switching and similar ineffective actions.

In addition, multitasking tires and plunges you into

A person is so accustomed to a constant flow of information that he does not even understand how it affects him, his behavior and well-being. In the morning he checks news feed on different social networks, then morning news, radio in the car and at work, in the evening - watching video clips on the Internet, TV shows and series. In addition, we are surrounded by a variety of advertisements There are tons of different messages vying for our attention. This state of constantly receiving messages and notifications is called “information overload of the brain,” which carries serious and dangerous consequences.

Only a few decades ago, “information” was in great short supply in Russia. People lived in very limited information environment. And it’s unlikely that anyone could have imagined that in the foreseeable future humanity would be subjected to a radically opposite reality - an oversaturation of information that could lead to absolute withdrawal from the world and the inability to cope with simple life situations without first reading a stack of books, articles and publications.

According to scientists and psychologists, information overload occurs when the amount of incoming material that enters the perceptual field significantly exceeds perceptual capacity. And this leads to increasing difficulties in making adequate decisions and solving problems around us.

How to recognize information overload

✔ You quickly forget the information you just received. Also, despite the fact that you read materials on the Internet or watch TV all day, you feel empty.

✔ External information there is so much around you that instead of helping, it prevents you from concentrating on your work, doing something from start to finish, without being distracted.

✔ There is a fear of missing something important if you turn it off unnecessary application on your phone or delete account on a social network.

✔ Countless thoughts, pictures, impressions are constantly spinning in your mind.

✔ During solitude for more than 1-2 days, anxiety appears, rest becomes a nightmare, not a means of relaxation.

Anyone can fall into the trap of information overload:

from slackers who wonder “how to kill time” to truly active and busy people for whom reading, learning new things and self-development are a priority;
from young children to adults - people who are simply experiencing the endless possibilities of the Internet and media - in all its varieties and forms.

Particular attention should be paid to this syndrome in students.

Consequences of information overload

Regardless of age and social status it brings with it a number of deteriorations in the functioning of the brain and body as a whole, which can cause a number of problems: insomnia, central nervous system disorders nervous system, heart problems, immune deficiency, etc.

Excessive amounts of incoming information also negatively affect the quality of productivity. If you honestly and objectively calculate how many hours you spend reading completely unnecessary news, you will know the time you have left to get work done (with full focus and concentration). And make sure that it is reduced to a non-significant amount.

And last but not least, a lot of information is killed by a very valuable property: human intuition. At birth it is very well developed, but for one reason or another, it is suppressed over the years. And one of the reasons is the indiscriminate flow of information.

How to avoid information overload

Fortunately, intuition, productivity and health can be returned to normal. To do this, you need to set priorities and stick to them. Admit to yourself honestly what is more important to you: all the questions and news of the world or, perhaps, yourself? Or maybe your family? The simple joy of life? If you can't find time for the things that really matter, it's time to change the situation.

1. Get rid of redundant sources of information. At first it will be difficult to give up, for example, TV, but in the end you will realize the great benefits of this step. There is no need to turn it on “for the background” - without noticing it, you tire your nervous system.

2. Train and train your brain. Solve crosswords, study foreign languages, read fiction. This trains concentration, memory and logical skills well, and develops imagination, despite information overload.

3. Select sources. Trusting everything that is on the Internet and all the media means believing the advice and opinions of all the people around you. If you learn to filter and select sources of information, you will certainly reduce the excess of information noise around you.

4. Arrange. As much as possible, turn off the flow of information for as long a period as possible. At first it will cause anxiety and even panic, but if you are persistent, you will succeed and you will end up enjoying the peace in your head. It is best to do this outdoors and with friends. Go for long walks, have live meetings and have fun without phones, tablets. The world will continue to spin without you for a while. :)

5. And one more trick: let the information you search and read on the Internet answer the only question: “How does it help me?” In other words, you should resort to the Internet only if it is really necessary. It's not practical to read dozens of forum posts (most of which are irrelevant), aimlessly navigate from site to site, blog to blog, or check the news every half hour. Let information be an assistant and useful tool, and not an interfering factor for work and self-development.

Today we can safely state that not only a person is looking for information, but information is also looking for a person. It surrounds us everywhere, and we, willy-nilly, begin to absorb it. Thus, information overload of the brain occurs. Fortunately, we found out that we can fight it.

Learn to set true life priorities, look around - the world is beautiful and much more interesting and informative than pictures and other people's stories from the news feed.