Attention and its Crisis in Digital Society

This book discusses the idea of a deterioration of attention, cognitive overload, and attention deficit disorder in the context of new technologies. It rejects the idea of a degradation or crisis of attention and proposes an alternative vision of the problem of attention in contemporary societies, placing cultural conventions, social norms, and ecological environments at the forefront of our understanding.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 222 pages
Publication date: 06 November 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

In the realm of discussions surrounding the impact of emerging technologies on our mental faculties, particularly the notion of attention span, this comprehensive volume delves into the topic of a perceived decline in attention and the associated concepts of cognitive overload, an inability to concentrate, and attention deficit disorder. By adopting a novel conceptualization of attention that eschews individualistic or universalistic approaches, the author challenges the notion of a degradation or crisis of attention and presents an alternative perspective on the problem of attention in contemporary societies. Central to this exploration is the recognition of the cultural and social variability of cognitive processes, as well as the multitude of forces and environments that either encourage, stimulate, or inhibit specific cognitive mechanisms. By placing cultural conventions, social norms, and ecological environments at the forefront of our understanding of individual and collective attention, Attention and its Crisis in Digital Society will captivate scholars across sociology, psychology, and philosophy, with a keen interest in social theory, cognitive processes, and the critiques often directed towards digital society and new technologies.

Weight: 364g
Dimension: 154 x 235 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032126401