Human Capacity in the Attention Economy

This edited volume investigates the impact of information technology through the lens of human cognitive capacity and the ways in which it influences how we think, feel, and behave. Our endless use of smartphones, unbridied internet access, and the ubiquity of applications on these platforms touch many facets of our lives. The book offers a general framework that articulates how basic attentional and cognitive processes are impacted by information technology, and how more complex aspects of human experience are affected as a result. Setting aside the question of whether the internet and related technologies are beneficial or harmful, with limited information processing capabilities, interact with an almost infinite informational environment. The authors examine what makes these technologies so addictive; their effect on emotional well-being, memory, and learning; and their effects on our ability to engage in important daily activities, such as driving. Other contributors discuss how to replenish depleted cognitive reserves, and offer recommendations to help us chart a way forward in today's attention economy. Book jacket.