Email has turned us into 'lab rats'

[2pac Shakur]

The natural impulses that helped early humans find food and avoid predators are causing us to regress to a state no more sophisticated than a rat in a laboratory, he said.

A recent study found that British office workers look at their email inboxes at least 30 times an hour.

For each bit of new information we find our brain releases a dose of dopamine, a pleasure-inducing chemical which has been linked to addictive behaviour.

Mr Carr told Esquire magazine: “Our gadgets have turned us into hi-tech lab rats, mindlessly pressing levers in the hope of receiving a pellet of social or intellectual nourishment.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8184149/Email-has-turned-us-into-lab-rats.html

:like:

[ElDucky]

I don't check my email that often. AO on the other hand.

[Once It Hits Your Lips]

Same goes for text messages

[Listeria]

DESPITE ALL MY RAGE, I'M STILL JUST A RAT WITH WINDOWS OUTLOOK

[Once It Hits Your Lips]

DESPITE ALL MY RAGE, I'M STILL JUST A RAT WITH WINDOWS OUTLOOK

:lol:
:rofl:
:)

:guitar:

[ADoubleDot]

Thirty times an hour? What retarded workers were they observing that didn't know how to activate an email notification?

[Buru Buru]

I don't check my email that often. AO on the other hand.

:iatp:

unfortunately emails have that automatic pop-up feature that forces me to look at it for work reasons. i gain no pleasure from those emails though. i get whatever the opposite of that dopamine stuff is.

[Buru Buru]

Thirty times an hour? What retarded workers were they observing that didn't know how to activate an email notification?

exactly

[2pac Shakur]

Most people have notification for work e-mail only.
Those aren't the ones they are checking.

[Buru Buru]

Most people have notification for work e-mail only.
Those aren't the ones they are checking.
my gmail goes to my droid and yells out DROID!!! every time i get one. other than that, i'm not that popular, so even before my droid i'd go weeks without checking it.

[Super Silver Haze]

i gain no pleasure from those emails though. i get whatever the opposite of that dopamine stuff is.
bile

[Happy Skunk]

Everytime you stop and check an email it takes you a certain amount of time to refocus on something else.

[2pac Shakur]

Every time you do work it takes time to refocus on posting.

[asdfasdf]

Thirty times an hour? What retarded workers were they observing that didn't know how to activate an email notification?

the same retarded workers who get pleasure out of recieveing emails.

[DownInTexas]

How are they counting?

Every time your e-mail glances at the bottom corner of the screen for a pop-up?
Every time you explicity open up your e-mail function to look?
What about a dual monitor set-up? My e-mail is open on my one monitor for most of the day, does it count as checking my e-mail every time I look to that side?

[Vomik]

How are they counting?

Every time your e-mail glances at the bottom corner of the screen for a pop-up?
Every time you explicity open up your e-mail function to look?
What about a dual monitor set-up? My e-mail is open on my one monitor for most of the day, does it count as checking my e-mail every time I look to that side?

I can almost guarantee they are talking about people opening their personal email hoping to get a message from facebook/friend/whatever. I doubt getting an email about reserves affects anyone's dopamine levels

ACTUARIES!!

[SamTheEagle]

30 times an hour? Seems low.

[Vorian Atreides]

Thirty times an hour? What retarded workers were they observing that didn't know how to activate an email notification?
Perhaps it's the notification feature that's triggering them to look 30 times per hour.

And I bet that there's a pavlov's dog affect as well . . . whenever these people see an envelope-looking icon/object (thinking Hallmark commercials, here), they have an urge to go check their email.

[Guerilla poster]

I believe it. The number of people who mindlessly walk around NYC streets bumping into everyone while checking their phone/blackberry, whatever, makes me want to go on rampage sometimes.

Sitting at a restaurant table having a nice conversation with a group, but people have to check their phone everytime it beeps. I think it is silly

[Vomik]

The internet makes people stupid.

[The Arbitrary]

The internet makes people stupid.
Oh yea? proof it!

[Agadefe]

I'm usually too busy getting sweet sweet dopamine from reading about various superheroes and late 19th century mobsters on Wikipedia to check my email that often.

[Cheezy]

DESPITE ALL MY RAGE, I'M STILL JUST A RAT WITH WINDOWS OUTLOOK

get it right!!!! it's MS outloook! which gives me a little pop up when I get mail so why am I checking it 30 times an hour. Oh... I don't! I just wait for the pop up... like masterbating... I don't check my pants every two minutes... I wait until something pops up and then check out what that's all about.

[FormLetter]

Thirty times an hour? What retarded workers were they observing that didn't know how to activate an email notification?

I don't use one. I look when I reach a break in whatever other things I'm doing.

[Cheezy]

Perhaps it's the notification feature that's triggering them to look 30 times per hour.

And I bet that there's a pavlov's dog affect as well . . . whenever these people see an envelope-looking icon/object (thinking Hallmark commercials, here), they have an urge to go check their email.

queue rickson and a (haha... just got an email... have to pause and check it out... ah... that was enjoyable... now what was I saying?) oh yeah, rickson... paging dr rickson, sounds like there is a conspiracy to make all things envelope like to focus the masses attention on email rather than the important stuff like forums.