Impact of Pandemic on Attention Systems
Impact of Pandemic on Attention Systems
Amishi Jha is a neuroscientist. She explains how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected our attention. Jha uses four key terms: volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). These words describe how high-stress situations can quickly degrade our focus.
Her study targets people who face VUCA conditions in their jobs. This includes soldiers, firefighters, and organizational leaders. The article explores the vulnerabilities of our attention system. It explains the factors that weaken attention. Jha also suggests ways to protect and strengthen our focus.
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.
Impact of Pandemic on Attention Systems
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.APA