Amishi Jha, a Neuroscientist, explains how the Covid-19 pandemic has
affected our brain’s attention. Jha uses the four words volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and
ambiguity (VUCA) to describe how high-stress and high-demand scenarios can rapidly degrade
our attention. She focused the study on people who experience VUCA conditions as part of their
jobs, such as soldiers, firefighters, and organizational leaders. The article also investigates the
vulnerabilities of the attention system, explains the forces that degrade and weaken attention, and
recommends ways to protect and strengthen attention. What Degrades and Weakens Attention?

Jha described ten ways in which our brain reacts to uncertain times. She begins by saying
that attention creates reality in that it helps solve the brain’s biggest problems. Secondly, she says
that attention is vulnerable to stress threat and poor mood. The Covid-19 pandemic has
accelerated the rate at which attention is degraded as it jacks up attention’s kryptonite. Thirdly,
our attention, just like our working memory, is limited. The fourth thing that Amishi Jha focuses
on is that our attention often wanders, which explains why people are experiencing uncertainty-
related stress during this pandemic. Fifthly, our attention is linked to our emotions. We all need
attention to regulate emotions as they come along. Amishi Jha also says that attention is
necessary for connection, can time-travel, is easily fooled, can be a bad boss, and is trainable.
The article’s purpose, audience, and rhetorical situation
Amishi Jha wrote this article primarily to enlighten readers on how high-stress and high-
demand scenarios can degrade our attention. She also focused on educating her readers on the
powers and the vulnerabilities of our attention system, the factors that degrade and weakens it, and how they can protect their attention. For instance, she says that our attention is powerful and
determines the moment-to-moment experiences of our lives. Similarly, she says that most people
are spending most of their limited attention resources to train their minds on overcoming
behaviors and habits.

Harvard style