Infomania

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Infomania is the debilitating state of information overload, caused by the combination of a backlog of information to process (usually in e-mail), and continuous interruptions from technologies like phones, instant messaging, and e-mail. [1] It is also defined as an obsessive need to constantly check social media, online news, and emails to acquire knowledge. [2] This may be related to a fear of missing out (FOMO).

Contents

Origin of the term

To date, the term infomania is not used to refer to any recognized psychological disorder. Infomania is not generally recognized as causing significant impairment.[ citation needed ]

The term was coined by Elizabeth M. Ferrarini, the author of Confessions of an Infomaniac (1984) and Infomania: The Guide to Essential Electronic Services (1985). Confessions was an early book about life online. It was excerpted in Cosmopolitan in 1982.

Effects

In 2005, Dr. Glenn Wilson conducted an experimental study which described effects of information overload on problem solving ability. [3] The 80 volunteers carried out problem solving tasks in a quiet space and then while being bombarded with new emails and phone calls that they could not answer. [3] Results showed a reduction in IQ by an average of 10 points during the bombardment session, but not everyone was affected to the same extent; men were distracted more than women. [3] In 2010, Dr. Glenn Wilson published a clarifying note about the study [4] in which he documented the limited size of the study and stated the results were "widely misrepresented in the media". [4]

Wilson compares working while having an incoming of calls and email can reduce someone’s ability to focus as much as losing a night’s sleep. [3] Not only can it affect one’s ability to function below their full potential at a job or in class, but it has been found that it can become addicting using technology as well. [3] For example, how often have you found yourself on your phone checking work emails during a lunch with family on the weekend? This is just one of many examples of the addiction effect of infomania.

There have not been any long-term studies on the effects of infomania. [5] However, Gloria Mark at UC Irvine conducted a study on the short-term effects of Fear of Missing Out, which involves compulsively checking in on the experiences of others via social media, [6] and found that it took an average of 23 minutes to return to an original task after an interruption. [7] She concluded that interruptions result in "more stress, higher frustration, time pressure and effort". [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Information overload is the difficulty in understanding an issue and effectively making decisions when one has too much information (TMI) about that issue, and is generally associated with the excessive quantity of daily information. The term "Information overload" was first used in Bertram Gross' 1964 book, The Managing of Organizations, and was further popularized by Alvin Toffler in his bestselling 1970 book Future Shock. Speier et al. (1999) said that if input exceeds the processing capacity, information overload occurs, which is likely to reduce the quality of the decisions.

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Fear of missing out Type of social anxiety

Fear of missing out (FOMO) is the feeling of apprehension that one is either not in the know or missing out on information, events, experiences, or life decisions that could make one's life better. FOMO is also associated with a fear of regret, which may lead to concerns that one might miss an opportunity for social interaction, a novel experience, a memorable event, or a profitable investment. It is characterized by a desire to stay continually connected with what others are doing, and can be described as the fear that deciding not to participate is the wrong choice. FOMO could result from not knowing about a conversation, missing a TV show, not attending a wedding or party, or hearing that others have discovered a new restaurant. FOMO in recent years has been attributed to a number of negative psychological and behavioral symptoms.

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Mobile Panic is a term developed to explain mobile media and communication crisis. Young people especially are exposed to this panic and have become targets. Examples such as mobile sexting or under age app and social media use, exposes children to sexual and violent media. Phones on peoples persons at all times, raises concerns of surveillance of mobile phone and personal information. The term also refers to the issues associated with surveillance and the effects surveillance has on people. The term "Mobile Panic" was coined by Gerrod Goggin. The term separates from related Media Panic that has to deal with social concerns around media, public opinion and interest groups. Mobile Panic more deals with issues related to personal images, videos or information that is unauthorized by individuals for public viewing. Young people especially are at risk of this concern as teens share and send nude or semi nude photographs and videos to one another. Screen shooting images without persons approval sent via snapchat or other social media can be used as another example. The effects can be detrimental as examples of suicides after unwanted pictures become exposed of individuals on public humiliating media spaces.

References

  1. Sahoo, Reeta Sahoo, Gagan. Foundation of Information Technology. Saraswati House Pvt Ltd. ISBN   9788173356704.
  2. "the definition of infomania". www.dictionary.com. Retrieved 2019-05-03.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "'Info-mania' dents IQ more than marijuana". www.newscientist.com. Retrieved 2019-05-03.
  4. 1 2 Clarifying note by Dr. Glenn Wilson on the "Infomania" Study
  5. Zomorodi, Manoush. "Hi, I'm a digital junkie, and I suffer from infomania". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 2019-05-03.
  6. Przybylski, Andrew K.; Murayama, Kou; Dehaan, Cody R.; Gladwell, Valerie (July 2013). "Motivational, emotional, and behavioral correlates of fear of missing out". Computers in Human Behavior. 29 (4): 1841–1848. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2013.02.014.
  7. 1 2 "The Cost of Interrupted Work: More Speed and Stress" (PDF).