In my previous blogs – I have written more on ways to stimulate the
learning brain – where I wrote on how brain nutrition, sleep and exercise can
enhance learning.
I touched on
attention and focus, but only briefly. For this week’s blog, I want to expand on this. Last weekend,
when teaching on a part time MBA course, I was intrigued about why one student
in particular, always finished any quiz, short test or leadership a case,
consistently faster than the other students. Yes, he is more introverted and
has a strong preference to use his ‘left’ brain more. The language comprehension
was equal, but he was the only male student.
Was this a gender
difference thing? Or, was it how he had been groomed and trained to think? Or
was it his natural preference to use his left brain more – at least in class?
Putting aside for
a moment these factors, there are some factors related to improving our
attention and focus especially while studying.
Dopamine, the excitement stimulus hormone, which is
produced in the amygdala and a part of our emotional brain plays a role. Dopamine
greatly aids information processing and memory, but needs some emotional
stimuli. Learning that can be attached or associated with strong emotions
will invariably be remembered, stronger and longer! However, emotional arousal
focuses attention more on the ‘gist’ of the learning, rather than the detail.
So ‘meaning’ comes before detail, which is actually important. Memory is
enhanced when we connect concepts and related associations to emotions
logically, not randomly. We will understand up to 40% more when each concept is
logical. Then the details can be filled in more meaningfully. An emotional
connection also further strengthens recall.
One myth concerns multi-tasking. The brain cannot
multi task, if it is to be very efficient. Think of sitting at your
computer/smart phone and an alert comes up “You’ve got mail”. Your attention is
stimulated. Now providing you read and answer it, without interruption, you
will complete the task 50% faster. Once any other part of the brain gets
distracted or tries to do something else, your full attention on what you are
doing is dissipated. Eg: answering your email. It is not that you cannot answer
the phone, but your mind wanders and when it returns, you will say “now where
was I?”
That’s why, when our right brain listens to baroque
type music, it is not bored, and allows our conscious left to focus attention.
This music induces ‘Alpha’ Learning. Even when we are aroused and absorbed, our
brain can usually only focus for around 10 minutes. It’s the right non
conscious self that is easily distracted, and the conscious self has to be the
prompted. It needs to be constantly brought back on track. Anything that keeps
emotional arousal high, will help keep you on track. And that’s where the appropriate
type of music can be played.
Now back to
my sole male student in my MBA Class. I think both gender, an introverted personality
and training can all predispose towards your ability to singularly focus. Of
course, in addition is your motivation and interest in the subject, and your
aspiration to learn about a topic and get a good grade.
Perhaps he may
even be more studious, as he doesn’t want to ‘loose face’ among his female
peers. So there are many variables that could explain his predisposition and I am
not concluding that it is any one factor, but a combination – so both nurture
and nature are at play!
For later blogs, I want to write
about gender differences in learning, as well as the role of music in learning.
But meanwhile, understand your personality, your learning and thinking style preferences and perhaps
use some of the above tips, when you find your mind wandering! Control
distraction, don’t let them control you.
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