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THE BRAIN ROT IN THE AGE OF INFORMATION OVERLOAD: ARE STUDENTS
LEARNING LESS BY KNOWING MORE?
Abdurahmonova Munisa
ISFT Institute Philology faculty 3 course
E-mail:
munisaabdurahmonova18@gmail.com
Abstract:
In this digital era where information is more accessible than clean air, students
are not empowered—they are overwhelmed. This article explores the silent epidemic of
information overload and its harmful effects on students’ cognitive capacity. It explores the
symptoms of “brain rot,” the unhealthy overreliance on digital technology, and the shift from
meaningful understanding to mechanical retrieval. By analyzing academic research,
psychological theory, and digital culture, this offers practical strategies educators for implement
to foster deeper understanding.
Keywords:
Information overload, cognitive saturation, brain rot, digital dementia,
attention span, critical thinking, surface learning, digital minimalism.
Introduction.
In these days, knowledge delivered in fragments: an Instagram reel, a
quote, a chatbot reply. Modern students are not suffering from ignorance; they are drowning in
unfiltered information, much of it irrelevant, shallow, and addictive.The danger here is subtle but
severe: when everything is accessible, nothing feels valuable at all.This generation witnessing
the rise of what psychologists now refer to as cognitive saturation—an invisible overload that
wears out attention, memory, and curiosity..
Information Overload and Cognitive Saturation
The average student today consumes more information in a single morning than an entire
generation did a century ago. But access is not understanding. While it gives the illusion of
knowledge, it often produces confusion, fatigue, and shallow comprehension. In other words,
more access does not mean more understanding.One of the earliest psychologists to study the
brain’s limitations was
George A. Miller
. In his landmark theory (1956),
The Magical Number
Seven, Plus or Minus Two ( 7±2 elements
), Miller argued that the human working memory can
only hold about 7 bits of information at once. This means that when a student is faced with
dozens of tabs, messages, notifications, and assignments all at once, the brain becomes
overloaded. It can no longer properly process, store, or retrieve information. Instead of learning
deeply, the student skims, forgets, and repeats the cycle. It’s not that their brain is weak—it’s
overstimulated. The best illustration of overloaded computer, it slows down, freezes, or crashes.
The cognitive saturation becomes even more dangerous when we consider how the internet
has reshaped our reading habits and attention spans.
Nicholas Carr
, in his
book The Shallows
:
What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains
(2011), argues that constant internet use encourages
“skimming” instead of reading, and “clicking” instead of thinking. He explains that the structure
of digital content—full of links, distractions, ads, and fast switching—trains the brain to jump
from idea to idea without staying long enough to analyze or reflect. Over time, this changes the
brain’s pathways. Deep focus becomes even harder than before. Additionally, students’ patience
level decreases and the ability to sit with a difficult question disappears.
Carr
also shares
scientific evidence: researchers using brain scans found that heavy internet users show more
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activity in areas related to decision-making and multitasking—but less activity in areas
responsible for deep thought and memory. In short, the brain adapts to the speed of the internet
but sacrifices its depth. Students may know of many things, but rarely understand and absorb any
of them deeply.
Together, Miller and Carr’s ideas show a clear picture: students today are not simply lazy
or unfocused. They are trying to learn in an environment that constantly overfeeds and
overstimulates their brain. Without training in focus, filtering, and reflection, they will continue
to consume without truly learning..
Understanding “Brain Rot” and Its Symptoms.
"Brain rot" has become a widely used term to describe the mental dullness, confusion,
and cognitive fatigue that many students increasingly report. It reflects a modern phenomenon:
the slow erosion of mental sharpness caused by prolonged exposure to fragmented information,
digital distractions, and constant multitasking. While not a literal decay of the brain, brain rot
symbolically captures the decline in mental performance—a state where the mind feels
overloaded yet underactive.
The most visible symptom of brain rot is a decreased attention span. Students today
struggle to stay focused on a single task for more than a few minutes. The Microsoft Attention
Span Study (2015) revealed that the average human now focuses for only 8 seconds, a notable
decline from previous generations. This weakening of attention is often accompanied by mental
restlessness, such as, a constant urge to scroll, swipe, or check notifications, even during tasks
that require sustained thought.
Another critical symptom is fragmented memory. Students increasingly report forgetting
things they just read or learned. This isn’t forgetfulness due to laziness—it stems from the brain's
inability to encode information properly when it is constantly being interrupted. Without
uninterrupted periods of focus, the brain fails to move short-term input into long-term memory.
What results is a pattern of superficial learning and quick forgetting.
Mental fatigue is another hallmark of brain rot. Even simple assignments feel exhausting.
This is because the brain is in a state of chronic overstimulation. Multitasking—jumping from
app to app, video to video, message to message—burns through cognitive resources. The
prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for focus and decision-making, becomes overworked and
less efficient over time. Students may feel as though their mind is “foggy,” even when they’ve
done very little actual work.Additionally, overdependence on external tools—such as search
engines, AI apps, and instant answers—has reduced the brain’s natural tendency to reflect and
recall. This leads to a further decline in cognitive resilience: the ability to stay mentally engaged,
solve problems independently, or explore abstract ideas without assistance.In summary, brain rot
is characterized by a cluster of symptoms: short attention spans, memory lapses, mental
exhaustion, digital dependency, and a general loss of cognitive depth. It is not a disease, but a
result of how modern environments shape the mind. If left unaddressed, it may lead to long-term
consequences for how students learn, think, and relate to knowledge itself..
The Impact of Digital Technology on Learning.
There is no doubt that digital technology has revolutionized education—students can now
access vast libraries, AI tools, and global knowledge with a few clicks. However, convenience
comes with a cost. The more we rely on instant results, the less effort we make to truly
understand what we’re learning. The process of thinking gets replaced by the habit of copying.
A key concern is the shift from active learning to passive consumption. Students
increasingly rely on AI-generated answers, automatic summaries, and search engines. This
creates a form of “outsourced cognition,” where the brain defers effort to the device. Nicholas
Carr, in The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains (2011), argues that the more we
depend on digital shortcuts, the less we train our minds to think critically or retain information.
As he puts it, “The web is a technology of distraction. It scatters our attention and diffuses our
concentration.”
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The physical act of learning has also changed. In a pivotal study, Mueller & Oppenheimer (2014)
found that students who took notes by hand performed significantly better on conceptual
questions than those who typed. The main reason why writing requires the brain to process,
reframe, and rephrase ideas in real time. Typing, however, often becomes verbatim
transcription—faster, but cognitively shallow. This insight highlights that technology, while
efficient, can rob learners of the very struggle that leads to comprehension. Furthermore, Sherry
Turkle, in Reclaiming Conversation (2015), warned that the rise of screens has not only altered
how students learn but also how they communicate and reflect. Instead of engaging in dialogue
and debate, students are more likely to skim through comments or message threads—spaces
where nuance, complexity, and deep reasoning rarely thrive. She emphasizes that true learning is
relational—it emerges in moments of real conversation, disagreement, and reflection, not in
passive scrolling.
Another critical concern is the decline of reading culture. A 2020 study by the National
Endowment for the Arts reported a sharp drop in voluntary reading among young adults, who
increasingly prefer visual or short-form content. This trend threatens analytical thinking,
vocabulary acquisition, and sustained attention, all of which are foundational to academic
success. Digital tools are not inherently harmful—they offer accessibility, flexibility, and
personalization. However, when overused or used uncritically, they shift learning from a mental
workout to a mechanical exchange. Students begin to value speed over depth, convenience over
effort, and output over understanding.Digital technology has expanded what is possible in
education—but it has also quietly redefined what it means to learn. The danger is not in the tools
themselves, but in how unconsciously and passively we let them reshape our cognitive habits
.
Conclusion and Strategies for Educators
In the face of growing digital distractions and cognitive overload, educators must take on
a guiding role in helping students develop not only academic skills but also digital resilience.
The solution is not to reject technology altogether, but to use it with intention—balancing its
speed with depth, and its accessibility with reflection. One of the most impactful strategies is to
encourage deep reading and critical writing. This goes beyond asking students to summarize
texts. It involves giving them open-ended prompts that require them to analyze, evaluate, and
synthesize information. For instance, rather than asking “What is the main idea of this article?”,
educators can ask “What assumptions does the author make, and do you agree with them?” or
“How does this article connect to modern-day issues?” These types of questions force students to
think critically and express their own voice—skills that passive scrolling or AI-generated
answers cannot build. Critical writing is not about fancy words; it’s about thinking on paper, and
developing one’s argument through evidence and reasoning.Next, it is vital to teach students how
to evaluate and filter information critically—a skill that’s more important than ever in an era of
misinformation and AI-generated content. A Stanford University study (Wineburg & McGrew,
2016) found that 82% of middle school students couldn’t distinguish between a real news story
and a native advertisement. Educators can implement media literacy projects that challenge
students to analyze multiple sources on controversial topics, assess author bias, and verify claims
using reputable databases. For example, students could be asked to fact-check viral claims or
compare how different outlets report on the same event. This develops digital discernment and
slows the automatic consumption of low-quality content. Furthermore, instead of allowing
students to use technology passively—such as copying homework from ChatGPT or Googling
answers—educators should integrate technology meaningfully. This means using digital tools to
create, collaborate, and reflect. Platforms like Padlet or Flipgrid can allow students to share
video reflections, comment on each other's work, or brainstorm visually. This makes learning
more interactive and student-centered. For example, students might use Canva to design
infographics based on their research, or record short video essays critiquing a topic introduced by
AI—but then expand or challenge the AI’s logic using their own voice and reasoning. This
fosters autonomy, accountability, and engagement. Lastly, educators must address the silent
crisis: students’ diminishing attention spans and digital fatigue. This is where promoting digital
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well-being becomes crucial. Simple focus-building exercises like one-minute meditations or
silent reading sessions at the start of class can train the mind to slow down. Introduce digital
detox moments—even one hour per day without screens, where students journal or complete
tasks on paper. For example, after a 45-minute device-free writing session, ask students to reflect:
“How did your mind feel without your phone? Did you concentrate better?” This reflection helps
students become aware of their own digital habits. Also, integrating mindfulness practices—such
as gratitude journaling, mindful breathing, or setting goals before digital use—can help students
manage stress, increase awareness, and reclaim control over their mental space.
Throughout this article, we have examined the complex consequences of brain rot in the
age of information overload—a phenomenon where constant digital stimulation dulls focus,
weakens memory, and reduces students’ capacity for meaningful learning. While digital
technology has undeniably made education more accessible, it has also introduced new cognitive
challenges. We’ve explored how multitasking, passive note-taking, and surface-level browsing
erode critical thinking and academic depth. These are not just trends—they are supported by
growing research and reflected in real classroom experiences. By integrating deep reading,
critical writing, and mindful digital habits, educators can help students move beyond memorizing
facts toward understanding them. It’s not about rejecting technology—it’s about using it wisely.
In an age where information is abundant, our role is to ensure that comprehension, reflection, and
genuine learning are not lost in the noise. If we are to prepare students not just to succeed
academically but to think independently, we must balance digital efficiency with cognitive depth.
Reference:
1. Miller, G. A. (1956). The magical number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our
capacity for processing information. Psychological Review, 63(2), 81–97.
2. Carr, N. (2011). The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains. W. W. Norton &
Company. (pp. 1–276)
3. Microsoft Canada. (2015). Attention Spans: Consumer Insights. Microsoft Advertising. (pp.
1–52)
4. Mueller, P. A., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014). The pen is mightier than the keyboard:
Advantages of longhand over laptop note-taking. Psychological Science, 25(6), 1159–1168.
5. Turkle, S. (2015). Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age. Penguin
Press. (pp. 1–448
6. National Endowment for the Arts. (2020). U.S. Trends in Arts Attendance and Literary
Reading: 2002–2017. (pp. 1–38)
7. Small, G., Moody, T. D., Siddarth, P., & Bookheimer, S. Y. (2009). Your brain on Google:
Patterns of cerebral activation during internet searching. American Journal of Geriatric
Psychiatry, 17(2), 116–126.
