I mentioned a while back that I had enjoyed reading Nicholas Carr's book, "The Shallows." It is a great read that attracted me because it addressed a symptom I have been experiencing in my own life: Prolonged interaction with the internet makes it harder for me to think and write creatively.

While Carr deals with this topic, I have found others who question the research and conclusions he draws from it. Most recently, I ran across a report from www.nominetrust.org.uk  that does a nice job of presenting facts and conclusions (and sometimes the acknowledgment of the lack of conclusions). I encourage you to read  The impact of digital technologies on human wellbeing EVIDENCE FROM THE SCIENCES OF MIND AND BRAIN.

The report does a nice job of avoiding an agenda. It is a report, not a marketing piece. This excerpt from the Executive Summary demonstrates this position:

-Rather than label any type of technology as being good or bad for our brain, it is  how specific applications are created and used (by who, when and what for) that  determine their impact. 
− Existing forms of online communication for supporting existing friendships are  generally beneficial for their users, with little basis for considering that social network  sites and online communication, in themselves, are a source of special risk to children.  Internet-related abuse (eg inappropriate sexual solicitation, cyberbullying) appears  related to issues beyond the use of the internet.
− Internet use (including online gaming) is problematic when it regularly interferes with  normal daily living and is difficult to control, although internet/gaming addictions have  not been established as psychiatric disorders. No particular threshold has been  identified that can be defined as excessive use, but research supports a guideline of  maximum two hours total screen-based entertainment per day for children.  Problematic internet usage is associated with a range of psychosocial difficulties, but  the internet can also support mental health through online therapeutic treatment for a  range of mental health disorders.
− The internet is a valuable learning resource and all learning involves changes in the  brain. Some technology-based types of training can improve working memory, and  others can provide mental stimulation that helps slow cognitive decline. 
− Some types of gaming (whether on-line or off line) can improve visual processing and  motor response skills, prompting suggestions that games may represent a particularly  effective way to enhance brain plasticity across the lifespan. The mechanisms involved  are still not understood, but may help explain the effectiveness of such games to also  influence affective response. Playing violent and prosocial video games generally  shifts behavioral tendencies towards aggressiveness and empathy respectively.  Gaming can strongly engage the brain’s reward system, and this may also help 
explain their attractiveness.


It is a beast of a document, so grab a pot of coffee and settle in. Enjoy!

Do you have any shifts in abilities, thought process or skill sets that you experience from prolonged internet activity?