TXTING MKS U STPID By Robert Stansfield EMAILING and texting can lower a person's IQ by more than if they smoke cannabis, an expert warned yesterday. Checking messages or tapping away on a keyboard temporarily knocks 10 points off a users' intelligence, compared to four for a joint, tests show. Researchers say office staff are the most common sufferers of "infomania" - losing concentration at work as their minds are in a permanent state of readiness to reply to texts and emails. Some even interrupt the flow of meetings to answer calls. University of London psychologist Dr Glenn Wilson studied 1,100 people. He found "infomania" had the same effect on the brain as losing a night's sleep. He said: "We have found that infomania will damage a worker's performance by reducing their mental sharpness." More than six in 10 workers admitted being "addicted" to checking texts and email. Technology firm Hewlett Packard, which commissioned the research, said: "We know that technology makes us more effective but we also know that misuse can be counter productive." mirrornews@mgn.co.uk <SCRIPT language=javascript type=text/javascript> function newPrintableWindow(objectid,path) { popUpWindow = window.open(path+'?objectid='+objectid+'&siteid=94762', 'Article', 'width=450,height=500,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,location=no,menubar=yes'); popUpWindow.focus(); }</SCRIPT>
LOL One of my collegaues just emailed a link to this article on CNN. One positive for me...I'm female. E-mails 'hurt IQ more than pot' Friday, April 22, 2005 Posted: 8:08 AM EDT (1208 GMT) Half of workers respond to an e-mail within an hour, survey found. LONDON, England -- Workers distracted by phone calls, e-mails and text messages suffer a greater loss of IQ than a person smoking marijuana, a British study shows. The constant interruptions reduce productivity and leave people feeling tired and lethargic, according to a survey carried out by TNS Research and commissioned by Hewlett Packard. The survey of 1,100 Britons showed: Almost two out three people check their electronic messages out of office hours and when on holiday Half of all workers respond to an e-mail within 60 minutes of receiving one One in five will break off from a business or social engagement to respond to a message. Nine out of 10 people thought colleagues who answered messages during face-to-face meetings were rude, while three out of 10 believed it was not only acceptable, but a sign of diligence and efficiency. But the mental impact of trying to balance a steady inflow of messages with getting on with normal work took its toll, the UK's Press Association reported. In 80 clinical trials, Dr. Glenn Wilson, a psychiatrist at King's College London University, monitored the IQ of workers throughout the day. He found the IQ of those who tried to juggle messages and work fell by 10 points -- the equivalent to missing a whole night's sleep and more than double the 4-point fall seen after smoking marijuana. "This is a very real and widespread phenomenon," Wilson said. "We have found that this obsession with looking at messages, if unchecked, will damage a worker's performance by reducing their mental sharpness. "Companies should encourage a more balanced and appropriate way of working." Wilson said the IQ drop was even more significant in the men who took part in the tests. "The research suggests that we are in danger of being caught up in a 24-hour 'always on' society," said David Smith of Hewlett Packard. "This is more worrying when you consider the potential impairment on performance and concentration for workers, and the consequent impact on businesses." http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/04/22/text.iq/index.html
A step in the right direction for legalization? Probably not, haha. Sounds like whenever they need something to compare IQ loss to, they go to the stoners. IQ sucks anyway. My parents and teachers are convinced I have it, so all they do is expect me to perform. Flork that. Pass me the bowl.
Anyone whos taken psychology 101 as i have will tell you IQ tests do not measure a person IQ. IQ sets a person on a curve with Gifted child being at the highest of the curve for IQ and in the middle the average IQ and at the bottom being retardation. There is no scientific way to measure a person auctual intelligence. So i say fuck this report, and its only a theory until scientific methods are applied for testing to turn it into a fact.
Oh yah basically what these wannabe smart ass's are saying is that simply, txting during work hours is a distraction to a worker and lowers productivity. Bitchs.