About this item

Most of us will freely admit that we are obsessed with our devices. We pride ourselves on our ability to multitask -- read work email, reply to a text, check Facebook, watch a video clip. Talk on the phone, send a text, drive a car. Enjoy family dinner with a glowing smartphone next to our plates. We can do it all, 24/7! Never mind the errors in the email, the near-miss on the road, and the unheard conversation at the table. In The Distracted Mind, Adam Gazzaley and Larry Rosen -- a neuroscientist and a psychologist -- explain why our brains aren't built for multitasking, and suggest better ways to live in a high-tech world without giving up our modern technology. The authors explain that our brains are limited in their ability to pay attention. We don't really multitask but rather switch rapidly between tasks.



About the Author

Adam Gazzaley

Adam Gazzaley, M.D., Ph.D. is Professor in Neurology, Physiology and Psychiatry at the UC San Francisco, and the Founding Director of the Neuroscience Imaging Center, Neuroscape Lab and the Gazzaley Lab. The lab explores mechanisms of neuroplasticity and designs, develops and validates new technologies to optimize cognitive abilities via engagement with closed-loop systems using custom-designed video games, brain-computer interfaces and transcranial electrical stimulation. Dr. Gazzaley is co-founder and Chief Science Advisor of Akili Interactive, a company developing therapeutic video games and co-founder and Chief Scientist of JAZZ Venture Partners, a venture capital firm investing in experiential technology to improve human performance. He has filed multiple patents, authored over 100 scientific articles, and delivered almost 500 invited presentations around the world. He wrote and hosted the nationally-televised PBS special "The Distracted Mind with Dr. Adam Gazzaley", and co-authored with Dr. Larry Rosen the soon to be released MIT Press book: "The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World". Dr. Gazzaley has received many awards and honors, most recently the 2015 Society for Neuroscience - Science Educator Award.



Read Next Recommendation

Report incorrect product information.