Have you ever said, "I have trouble staying focused while I read. I get bored and my mind starts to daydream." The problem may be your environment, not your mind. Quick, scan your desk. Are you listening to music, watching TV, or texting your friends? If you answered yes, you are a distractive reader. A distraction is when someone or something blocks your mind from paying attention to the text you are reading. The best way to pay attention to what you are reading is to avoid being distracted by other stimuli.
Your mind is not a sponge, it’s more like a coffee filter. Information pours into your mind through your five senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste). In less than a second, this new information is filtered or processed. If the new information matches previously stored information, the mind assigns meaning. This useful information passes through to what cognitive researchers call the "working memory". If the mind is unable to assign meaning, the information is ignored or discarded. On average, 99% of the sensory information is forgotten (Gazzaniga, 1998).
No matter how hard you try to pay attention, your mind is naturally going to be drawn to three specific stimuli: new or novel thoughts, loud sounds and fast moving objects. It only takes one commercial to realize advertisers have known this research for decades. New and improved products are shown on the TV screen through rapidly changing pictures. Advertisers even have the ability to increase the sound level of the commercial! If you apply this information to your reading environment, every new thought, sound or flashing picture has the potential to distract your mind from processing the written text. You might not be able to control what your mind pays attention to, but you can improve your ability to focus by removing distractions.
What does this mean to you as a reader? If you want to remember what you read, you must remove the distractions from your environment. Sit in a quiet room with the TV off, computer off, cell phone off, and head phones out of your ears. By removing distractions, your mind will pay attention longer and remember more.
Remember, multi-tasking while reading is as dangerous as multi-tasking while driving! Be a safe reader and remove all distractions before you read.
Gazzaniga, M. (1998). The Mind's Past. Berkley, CA: University of California Press.
I think this is very interesting. I know that you should get rid of distractions but I never thought of your brain as a coffee filter.
ReplyDelete-Logan Gurreri
Never thought of my brain being a coffee filter either. But it does make sense and if you want to be a good reader you must get ride of your distractions.
ReplyDeleteMike Forstoffer
I thought the comparison that your brain is a coffee filter was really good. I also did not know that 99% of sensory information is forgotten. That seems a lot higher then I thought was correct.
ReplyDeleteSounds like some good ideas. Didnt know 99% of sensory info is forgotten.
ReplyDeleteWhen I am distracted I have a hard time paying attention sometimes. I have a different way of learning new things so this will be a new experience for me. Daniellie Cole
ReplyDeleteThis is pretty good information and ideas. Also, like the coffe filter idea with comparison with the brain.
ReplyDeleteI hate being distracted by other things but i just cant help it. Like imalways near my phone so that is one of the main things. But i really liked the brain comparrison with the coffe filter and not a sponge like everyone else uses. And the 99% of sensory info we kose is a lot to be loseing.
ReplyDeleteI really like the coffee filter reference, your brain really isn't asponge. I didn't know that your mind naturally goes to thoes three specific stimuli.
ReplyDeleteThis information really taught me alot. i didnt know 99% of ur sensory information is forgotten.
ReplyDeleteI also liked the coffee filter reference because people think that your brain is really a sponge that just apbsorbs everything, but it really isn't. This information taught me a whole lot of things I did not know.
ReplyDeleteShane Moore
I definetly need to cut down on my distractions after reading this. I never knew my brain was like a coffe filter.
ReplyDeletei never knew that 99% of sensory info is forgotten. I learned a few things from this info.
ReplyDeleteNourdean Bentajar
I liked how they said your mind is like a coffee filter, I found that very interesting. Now when I go to read I'll make sure I go to a distraction free room.
ReplyDeleteI also thought it was very intersting that your brain was like a coffee filter and that 99% of your sensory info was forgotten. I never knew that. Still, I plan to cut down on my distractions even though I really try to limit them when I study.
ReplyDelete-Andrew Thompson
I could never see your brain to be like a coffe filter, but it does make sense. The number one thing i will do now is put away all the things that distract me while im trying to study.
ReplyDeleteI agree when distractions are elimnated reading is much easier. It is also easier to understand what was read.
ReplyDeleteA coffee filter seems like it would describe an actual brain. Without distractins I believe it is easier to use and remember what I have read.
ReplyDeleteI'm always distracted i never could just keep my focus on a school book or anything else that didn't interest me. What makes it worst is that I'm constantly reminded that "your mind is like a sponge"!!!!!! Well what's wrong with my sponge?!?!?!?!
ReplyDeleteI fully agree that you should eliminate all of the distraction before you decide to read something important.
ReplyDeleteIt's true that hardly anything sinks in. Even when I have no distractions, I can distract myself by daydreaming.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know 99% of information is forgotten. It's hard to not get distracted even when nothing is around you or bothering you because your mind just isn't in it.
ReplyDeletepeople loose interest for reading a long period of time and they dont remember half the stuff read. its crucial to have all distractions gone and some how make notes in our hed about a book.
ReplyDeleteI realized that I am a distractive reader! but even with all those things gone, I still have a hard time remember some of the things that I read. I guess thats something that Im just gonna have to work on!
ReplyDeleteAlot of stuff usually never sets in to me unless i am interested in the reading or study. i get distracted very easily.
ReplyDeleteI always thought that having some distractions would help me in accomplishing my work. This article shined some light on my study habits and how i could perfect them.
ReplyDeletewell i found myself laughing whie reading this because i was doing axactly what the text was saying. i had a friend in the room while i was reading this and i also had my phone at my side
ReplyDeleteI multi-task every time I read, so this is totally true. I'll try to eliminate the deadly multi-tasking for the future. Love, Adam Vetere
ReplyDeleteIt's true I am a distractive reader, I think most people are as well. I didnt know 99% of sensory info is forgotten, hard to believe.
ReplyDeleteI think this was a very interesting i never would imagine your brain being a coffe fliter. I agree with eliminating all distractions.
ReplyDeleteI never thought of my brain as a coffee filter, but it kind of is. I watched a commercial and that is completely true about the fast changing pictures.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this (with my cell ringing like 6 times) I think it is crazy how much information is lost. A coffee filter is perfect to describe the brain. I only remember the stuff I want to or that i find interesting.
ReplyDeleteI am a very distractive reader i text, listen to music and watch tv all at the same time as i read. No wonder i can never remember anything i will try this and take it to consideration, thanks.
ReplyDelete-Lance Conley
I never thought of my brain as a coffee filter, but it kind of is. I watched a commercial and that is completely true about the fast changing pictures.
ReplyDelete-Ryan Althoff
I never really thought of my brain as a coffee filter. I always referenced my brain to a sponge, but now that I think about it, your brain is like a coffee filter. However, you really do need to get rid of the distractions around you while you read or even do homework.
ReplyDeleteI think that comparing your brain to a coffee filter was really cool. You really do need to remove distractions. It makes it a lot harder to process things.
ReplyDeleteThis makes alot of sense. The brain as a coffee filter really works. Removing distractions helps alot.
ReplyDeleteNourdean Bentajar