Sometimes the brain itself is looking for something to distract itself with - scientists have explained why
Research: attention "pulses" - the brain is holding focus several times a second, then ready to be distracted, which is why notifications are so easily disrupted.
If you're easily "blown away" by notifications, pop-ups or just a bright thing on your screen - it might not just be habit. Scientists from the University of Rochester (USA) have found out that attention works in waves.
According to their data, the brain about 7-10 times a second as if it opens a "window" when it is easier for him to switch to something else. This was useful to our ancestors: even if you're busy doing something, your brain has to occasionally check to see if there's danger around. But today, those same "windows" make us vulnerable: there's a phone, laptop, adverts, notifications nearby - and it's easy for the brain to cling to distractions.
How it was tested:
40 people participated in the experiment.
They had to look at a grey square and perform a task on the screen.
And bright coloured dots appeared nearby, which were purposely distracting.
Scientists recorded brain activity through EEG (sensors on the head) and separately made sure that the result was not explained simply by eye movement.
What came out:
There were moments when participants were worse at spotting the right signal - and that's when they were more "glued" to the distractions.
These moments were repeated rhythmically - about the same 7-10 times per second.
Why it's needed:
It may help us understand why some people have a particularly hard time holding focus, such as those with ADHD (ADHD).
But it's not a test for ADHD or a diagnosis - just a clue that distractibility may have a biological "tuning" of the brain.