Parra-Medina L E, Álvarez-Cervera F J
Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México.
Rev Neurol. 2021 Nov 16;73(12):421-428. doi: 10.33588/rn.7312.2021113.
We are living in the time of greatest dissemination of information in the history of the human race, and this excess of information has resulted in considering human attention as a scarce resource. Information overload is the situation in which the amount or intensity of information exceeds the individual's limited capacity for cognitive processing.
To describe the concept of information overload, its possible neurocognitive substrates, associated symptoms, causes, measures to avoid it, as well as its possible relationship with the internet and electronic devices.
People respond differently to information overload, and this depends on individual factors as well as on the amount and characteristics of the informative stimulation. Some symptoms of information overload are: inefficient work, confusion, delay in making decisions, lack of critical evaluation of information, loss of control over information, refusal to receive communication, lack of general perspective, greater tolerance for error, anxiety, stress, etc. The limits of information processing capacity are probably conditioned by the limited metabolic energy that is distributed in the brain and remains constant regardless of the difficulty of the tasks.
Attention is a limited cognitive function. In order to reduce the adverse effects of information overload, it is necessary to improve the personal management of our own cognitive resources and to understand their relationship with technology. Likewise, it is necessary to improve the handling of information through the organization, filtering and application of cognitive ergonomics design guidelines.
我们生活在人类历史上信息传播最为广泛的时代，这种信息过剩导致人们将人类注意力视为一种稀缺资源。信息过载是指信息的数量或强度超过个人有限的认知处理能力的情况。
描述信息过载的概念、其可能的神经认知基础、相关症状、成因、避免信息过载的措施，以及它与互联网和电子设备可能存在的关系。
人们对信息过载的反应各不相同，这取决于个人因素以及信息刺激的数量和特征。信息过载的一些症状包括：工作效率低下、困惑、决策延迟、对信息缺乏批判性评估、对信息失去控制、拒绝接收信息、缺乏整体视角、对错误的容忍度更高、焦虑、压力等。信息处理能力的极限可能受到大脑中分布的有限代谢能量的制约，且无论任务难度如何，该能量保持恒定。
注意力是一种有限的认知功能。为了减少信息过载的不利影响，有必要改善我们自身认知资源的个人管理，并理解它们与技术的关系。同样，有必要通过组织、筛选和应用认知工效学设计准则来改善信息处理。
