Team Includes; Funmi(me), Amelia, Preksha
Digital Fragmentation &
Productivity
Investigating how dopamine-driven short-form content disrupts focus, self-regulation, and collaboration in modern workplaces
Research Focus
This research explores how sustained exposure to short-form content (TikTok, Reels, Shorts) reshapes attention, memory, and collaborative culture. It investigates how reactive media habits fragment learning, diminish cognitive endurance, and create shallow work patterns among young professionals.
Key Research Questions
How does short-form content affect metacognitive awareness and attention regulation?
What cognitive and behavioral impacts emerge from frequent media multitasking?
How do media-induced distraction patterns weaken workplace collaboration and task completion?
Which digital tools (e.g., Loom, Notion, RescueTime) support focus recovery and intentional reflection?
How might systems be designed to promote cognitive resilience and reduce reactive work behavior?
Methodology
1
Literature Reviews
Neuroscience
Short-form content engages the brain’s reward system, training users for immediate gratification. This weakens focus and suppresses distraction over time. Overactivation leads to reduced impulse control, affecting sustained attention and deep processing.
Sweller, J. (1988) – Cognitive Load Theory and implications for learning and memory.
Behavioral Psychology
Users exposed to high volumes of micro-content develop habit loops where scrolling becomes a default behavior during task friction or boredom. This leads to avoidance of cognitively demanding tasks and reliance on dopamine-triggering behaviors, resulting in increased task switching and procrastination.
Johnson & Hari (2018) –
Interruption science and attention economy.
Digital Media Studies
The architecture of platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels is designed for frictionless consumption, limiting user control over time, pacing, and attention. This environment promotes reactive behavior over reflective engagement, normalizing speed and volume over comprehension and collaboration.
Mark, G. et al. (2023) – Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity.
2
Root Causes
Surface-level awareness
Jumping rapidly between unrelated content interrupts memory consolidation and logical reasoning.
Dopamine-driven designs reward mindless scrolling over mindful engagement.
Individualized feeds reduce collective experiences that spark civic unity.
Addictive feedback loops
Eroded shared cultural values
Disrupted Learning Rhythms
Effective learning depends on a cycle of focus, struggle, and reflection.
Continuous engagement, prevents deep encoding, and reduces mental checkpoints for future intentions
Degradation of prospective memory
The brain becomes conditioned for passive intake, weakening effortful thinking and good decision making
Low Effort Processing
Prioritization of
Visible Output
Short-form content trains the brain to favor quick wins and visible engagement over strategic or critical thinking
Hyper-responsiveness Culture
Employees feel pressured to respond instantly (emails, chats, notifications) as a signal of productivity.
Degraded Collaboration
Distracted communication (phone checking during meetings) disrupts active listening and weakens project outcomes.
3
Drivers
Cognitive Impact of Passive Media
Continuous exposure to passive short form content like auto-playing videos has been shown to reduce our ability to focus, retain information, and engage in deeper and critical thinking.
As these behaviors spill over into the workplace, they hinder meaningful dialogue and sustained attention.
Google’s Project Aristotle identified psychological safety as the most important factor in high-performing teams.
This leads to stronger interpersonal bonds, higher engagement, and better collective problem-solving boosts team cohesion and trust.
Adam Alter (2017) — Irresistible; Microsoft Attention Span Research (2015)
Source: Google Re:Work – Project Aristotle
Psychological Safety Enhances Collaboration and Innovation
Cognitive Effects of the Short-Form Content Economy
Stimulation from rapid content weakens the brain's ability to sustain focus and engage in deliberate thought.
Over time, people become conditioned to skim, not synthesize which impacts
decision-making.
Alter, A. (2017). Irresistible: The rise of addictive technology and the business of keeping us hooked. Penguin Press.
Eyal, N. (2014). Hooked: How to build habit-forming products. Portfolio.
Algorithmic Design Shapes Shallow Engagement
Escalating Digital Distraction in Workplaces
The average knowledge worker is interrupted every 3 minutes, with recovery times reaching up to 23 minutes per task . This persistent digital distraction leads to shallow work, elevated stress, and lower task quality.
Mark, G., Gudith, D., & Klocke, U. (2008). The cost of interrupted work: More speed and stress.
4
Signal Research
What people/organizations are doing? “Real-world actions!”
Notion’s logic-based templates, task databases, and meeting frameworks reduce cognitive load and organize complex workflows.
Di Stefano, G., Gino, F., Pisano, G. P., & Staats, B. R. (2014). Learning by thinking: How reflection aids performance. Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 14-093. https://www.library.hbs.edu/working-knowledge/reflecting-on-work-improves-job-performance
RescueTime and Flow Club help users stay accountable through live
co-working sessions
Demand for Structured Thinking
Notion Labs, Inc. (n.d.). Notion Template Gallery. Retrieved May 6, 2025, from https://www.notion.so/templates
Interest In Reclaiming Focus
Di Stefano, G., Gino, F., Pisano, G. P., & Staats, B. R. (2014). Learning by thinking: How reflection aids performance. Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 14-093. https://www.library.hbs.edu/working-knowledge/reflecting-on-work-improves-job-performance
Rise of Focus Productivity Tools
Digital tools like Freedom and Opal block distractions, reflecting user demand for structured deep work time.
Mark, G., Gudith, D., & Klocke, U. (2008). The cost of interrupted work: More speed and stress. Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 107–110. ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/1357054.1357072
Harvard Research on
Reflective Work
Employees who engaged in daily 15-minute reflections improved performance by 22.8% over time.
Recommendations
Introduce Focus Windows and digital silence blocks to reduce reactive behavior.
Implement reflection-based performance metrics and slow response buffers in digital workspaces.
Design structured thinking aids (goal anchors, prompt-based systems) to support long-form cognition.
Use collaborative asynchronous tools (Loom, Notion) to build shared thought spaces and reduce live meeting load.
These includes
1
3
4
2
Sustainability
Student
Social Impact
StudentLoop
Media
Workplace
Productivity
S-F Media
Contact me
2025 Funmilayo Makinde
Team Includes; Funmi(me), Amelia, Preksha
Digital Fragmentation &
Productivity
Investigating how dopamine-driven short-form content disrupts focus, self-regulation, and collaboration in modern workplaces
Research Focus
This research explores how sustained exposure to short-form content (TikTok, Reels, Shorts) reshapes attention, memory, and collaborative culture. It investigates how reactive media habits fragment learning, diminish cognitive endurance, and create shallow work patterns among young professionals.
Key Research Questions
How does short-form content affect metacognitive awareness and attention regulation?
What cognitive and behavioral impacts emerge from frequent media multitasking?
How do media-induced distraction patterns weaken workplace collaboration and task completion?
Which digital tools (e.g., Loom, Notion, RescueTime) support focus recovery and intentional reflection?
How might systems be designed to promote cognitive resilience and reduce reactive work behavior?
Methodology
1
Literature Reviews
Neuroscience
Short-form content engages the brain’s reward system, training users for immediate gratification. This weakens focus and suppresses distraction over time. Overactivation leads to reduced impulse control, affecting sustained attention and deep processing.
Sweller, J. (1988) – Cognitive Load Theory and implications for learning and memory.
Behavioral Psychology
Users exposed to high volumes of micro-content develop habit loops where scrolling becomes a default behavior during task friction or boredom. This leads to avoidance of cognitively demanding tasks and reliance on dopamine-triggering behaviors, resulting in increased task switching and procrastination.
Johnson & Hari (2018) –
Interruption science and attention economy.
Digital Media Studies
The architecture of platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels is designed for frictionless consumption, limiting user control over time, pacing, and attention. This environment promotes reactive behavior over reflective engagement, normalizing speed and volume over comprehension and collaboration.
Mark, G. et al. (2023) – Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity.
2
Root Causes
Surface-level awareness
Jumping rapidly between unrelated content interrupts memory consolidation and logical reasoning.
Dopamine-driven designs reward mindless scrolling over mindful engagement.
Individualized feeds reduce collective experiences that spark civic unity.
Addictive feedback loops
Eroded shared cultural values
Disrupted Learning Rhythms
Effective learning depends on a cycle of focus, struggle, and reflection.
Continuous engagement, prevents deep encoding, and reduces mental checkpoints for future intentions
Degradation of prospective memory
The brain becomes conditioned for passive intake, weakening effortful thinking and good decision making
Low Effort Processing
Prioritization of
Visible Output
Short-form content trains the brain to favor quick wins and visible engagement over strategic or critical thinking
Hyper-responsiveness Culture
Employees feel pressured to respond instantly (emails, chats, notifications) as a signal of productivity.
Degraded Collaboration
Distracted communication (phone checking during meetings) disrupts active listening and weakens project outcomes.
3
Drivers
Cognitive Impact of Passive Media
Continuous exposure to passive short form content like auto-playing videos has been shown to reduce our ability to focus, retain information, and engage in deeper and critical thinking.
As these behaviors spill over into the workplace, they hinder meaningful dialogue and sustained attention.
Google’s Project Aristotle identified psychological safety as the most important factor in high-performing teams.
This leads to stronger interpersonal bonds, higher engagement, and better collective problem-solving boosts team cohesion and trust.
Adam Alter (2017) — Irresistible; Microsoft Attention Span Research (2015)
Source: Google Re:Work – Project Aristotle
Psychological Safety Enhances Collaboration and Innovation
Cognitive Effects of the Short-Form Content Economy
Stimulation from rapid content weakens the brain's ability to sustain focus and engage in deliberate thought.
Over time, people become conditioned to skim, not synthesize which impacts
decision-making.
Alter, A. (2017). Irresistible: The rise of addictive technology and the business of keeping us hooked. Penguin Press.
Eyal, N. (2014). Hooked: How to build habit-forming products. Portfolio.
Algorithmic Design Shapes Shallow Engagement
Escalating Digital Distraction in Workplaces
The average knowledge worker is interrupted every 3 minutes, with recovery times reaching up to 23 minutes per task . This persistent digital distraction leads to shallow work, elevated stress, and lower task quality.
Mark, G., Gudith, D., & Klocke, U. (2008). The cost of interrupted work: More speed and stress.
4
Signal Research
What people/organizations are doing? “Real-world actions!”
Notion’s logic-based templates, task databases, and meeting frameworks reduce cognitive load and organize complex workflows.
Di Stefano, G., Gino, F., Pisano, G. P., & Staats, B. R. (2014). Learning by thinking: How reflection aids performance. Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 14-093. https://www.library.hbs.edu/working-knowledge/reflecting-on-work-improves-job-performance
RescueTime and Flow Club help users stay accountable through live
co-working sessions
Demand for Structured Thinking
Notion Labs, Inc. (n.d.). Notion Template Gallery. Retrieved May 6, 2025, from https://www.notion.so/templates
Interest In Reclaiming Focus
Di Stefano, G., Gino, F., Pisano, G. P., & Staats, B. R. (2014). Learning by thinking: How reflection aids performance. Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 14-093. https://www.library.hbs.edu/working-knowledge/reflecting-on-work-improves-job-performance
Rise of Focus Productivity Tools
Digital tools like Freedom and Opal block distractions, reflecting user demand for structured deep work time.
Mark, G., Gudith, D., & Klocke, U. (2008). The cost of interrupted work: More speed and stress. Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 107–110. ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/1357054.1357072
Harvard Research on
Reflective Work
Employees who engaged in daily 15-minute reflections improved performance by 22.8% over time.
Recommendations
Introduce Focus Windows and digital silence blocks to reduce reactive behavior.
Implement reflection-based performance metrics and slow response buffers in digital workspaces.
Design structured thinking aids (goal anchors, prompt-based systems) to support long-form cognition.
Use collaborative asynchronous tools (Loom, Notion) to build shared thought spaces and reduce live meeting load.
These includes
1
3
4
2
Sustainability
Student
Social Impact
StudentLoop
Media
Workplace
Productivity
S-F Media
Contact me
2025 Funmilayo Makinde
Team Includes; Funmi(me), Amelia, Preksha
Digital Fragmentation &
Productivity
Investigating how dopamine-driven short-form content disrupts focus, self-regulation, and collaboration in modern workplaces
Research Focus
This research explores how sustained exposure to short-form content (TikTok, Reels, Shorts) reshapes attention, memory, and collaborative culture. It investigates how reactive media habits fragment learning, diminish cognitive endurance, and create shallow work patterns among young professionals.
Key Research Questions
How does short-form content affect metacognitive awareness and attention regulation?
What cognitive and behavioral impacts emerge from frequent media multitasking?
How do media-induced distraction patterns weaken workplace collaboration and task completion?
Which digital tools (e.g., Loom, Notion, RescueTime) support focus recovery and intentional reflection?
How might systems be designed to promote cognitive resilience and reduce reactive work behavior?
Methodology
1
Literature Reviews
Neuroscience
Short-form content engages the brain’s reward system, training users for immediate gratification. This weakens focus and suppresses distraction over time. Overactivation leads to reduced impulse control, affecting sustained attention and deep processing.
Sweller, J. (1988) – Cognitive Load Theory and implications for learning and memory.
Behavioral Psychology
Users exposed to high volumes of micro-content develop habit loops where scrolling becomes a default behavior during task friction or boredom. This leads to avoidance of cognitively demanding tasks and reliance on dopamine-triggering behaviors, resulting in increased task switching and procrastination.
Johnson & Hari (2018) –
Interruption science and attention economy.
Digital Media Studies
The architecture of platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels is designed for frictionless consumption, limiting user control over time, pacing, and attention. This environment promotes reactive behavior over reflective engagement, normalizing speed and volume over comprehension and collaboration.
Mark, G. et al. (2023) – Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity.
2
Root Causes
Surface-level awareness
Jumping rapidly between unrelated content interrupts memory consolidation and logical reasoning.
Dopamine-driven designs reward mindless scrolling over mindful engagement.
Individualized feeds reduce collective experiences that spark civic unity.
Addictive feedback loops
Eroded shared cultural values
Disrupted Learning Rhythms
Effective learning depends on a cycle of focus, struggle, and reflection.
Continuous engagement, prevents deep encoding, and reduces mental checkpoints for future intentions
Degradation of prospective memory
The brain becomes conditioned for passive intake, weakening effortful thinking and good decision making
Low Effort Processing
Prioritization of
Visible Output
Short-form content trains the brain to favor quick wins and visible engagement over strategic or critical thinking
Hyper-responsiveness Culture
Employees feel pressured to respond instantly (emails, chats, notifications) as a signal of productivity.
Degraded Collaboration
Distracted communication (phone checking during meetings) disrupts active listening and weakens project outcomes.
3
Drivers
Cognitive Impact of Passive Media
Continuous exposure to passive short form content like auto-playing videos has been shown to reduce our ability to focus, retain information, and engage in deeper and critical thinking.
As these behaviors spill over into the workplace, they hinder meaningful dialogue and sustained attention.
Google’s Project Aristotle identified psychological safety as the most important factor in high-performing teams.
This leads to stronger interpersonal bonds, higher engagement, and better collective problem-solving boosts team cohesion and trust.
Adam Alter (2017) — Irresistible; Microsoft Attention Span Research (2015)
Source: Google Re:Work – Project Aristotle
Psychological Safety Enhances Collaboration and Innovation
Cognitive Effects of the Short-Form Content Economy
Stimulation from rapid content weakens the brain's ability to sustain focus and engage in deliberate thought.
Over time, people become conditioned to skim, not synthesize which impacts
decision-making.
Alter, A. (2017). Irresistible: The rise of addictive technology and the business of keeping us hooked. Penguin Press.
Eyal, N. (2014). Hooked: How to build habit-forming products. Portfolio.
Algorithmic Design Shapes Shallow Engagement
Escalating Digital Distraction in Workplaces
The average knowledge worker is interrupted every 3 minutes, with recovery times reaching up to 23 minutes per task . This persistent digital distraction leads to shallow work, elevated stress, and lower task quality.
Mark, G., Gudith, D., & Klocke, U. (2008). The cost of interrupted work: More speed and stress.
4
Signal Research
What people/organizations are doing? “Real-world actions!”
Notion’s logic-based templates, task databases, and meeting frameworks reduce cognitive load and organize complex workflows.
Di Stefano, G., Gino, F., Pisano, G. P., & Staats, B. R. (2014). Learning by thinking: How reflection aids performance. Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 14-093. https://www.library.hbs.edu/working-knowledge/reflecting-on-work-improves-job-performance
RescueTime and Flow Club help users stay accountable through live
co-working sessions
Demand for Structured Thinking
Notion Labs, Inc. (n.d.). Notion Template Gallery. Retrieved May 6, 2025, from https://www.notion.so/templates
Interest In Reclaiming Focus
Di Stefano, G., Gino, F., Pisano, G. P., & Staats, B. R. (2014). Learning by thinking: How reflection aids performance. Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 14-093. https://www.library.hbs.edu/working-knowledge/reflecting-on-work-improves-job-performance
Rise of Focus Productivity Tools
Digital tools like Freedom and Opal block distractions, reflecting user demand for structured deep work time.
Mark, G., Gudith, D., & Klocke, U. (2008). The cost of interrupted work: More speed and stress. Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 107–110. ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/1357054.1357072
Harvard Research on
Reflective Work
Employees who engaged in daily 15-minute reflections improved performance by 22.8% over time.
Recommendations
Introduce Focus Windows and digital silence blocks to reduce reactive behavior.
Implement reflection-based performance metrics and slow response buffers in digital workspaces.
Design structured thinking aids (goal anchors, prompt-based systems) to support long-form cognition.
Use collaborative asynchronous tools (Loom, Notion) to build shared thought spaces and reduce live meeting load.
These includes
1
3
4
2
Sustainability
Student
Social Impact
StudentLoop
Media
Workplace
Productivity
S-F Media
Contact me
2025 Funmilayo Makinde