[Patricia Greenfield] concluded that every medium develops some cognitive skills at the expense of others. Our growing use of the Net and other screen-based technologies has led to the widespread and sophisticated development of visual-spatial skills. We can, for example, rotate objects in our minds better than we used to be able to. But our new strengths in visual-spatial intelligence go hand in hand with a weakening of our capacities for the kind of deep processing that underpins mindful knowledge acquisition, inductive analysis, critical thinking, imagination, and reflection.

Summary

This quote by Patricia Greenfield highlights that different forms of media influence our cognitive skills in different ways. The increasing use of the internet and screen-based technologies has enhanced our visual-spatial abilities, enabling us to mentally manipulate and visualize objects to a greater extent. However, this advancement comes at the cost of other crucial cognitive abilities. Deep processing, which supports mindful knowledge acquisition, analytical thinking, critical reasoning, imagination, and reflection, is being weakened. In essence, while we are becoming more adept at certain skills due to technology, we are simultaneously compromising other fundamental cognitive functions.

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