An introduction to the concept of neuroplasticity, and some examples of how technology (such as the internet, mobile technology and social media) is rewiring our brains.

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Neuroplasticity

2. © Copyright 2014 HeyHuman Agency Limited trading as HeyHuman. All rights reserved.
What is it?
 ‘Neurons that fire
together wire together’
 The brain's ability to
reorganize itself by
forming new neural
connections

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“Your brain — every brain — is a
work in progress. It is “plastic.” From
the day we’re born to the day we die,
it continuously revises and remodels,
improving or slowly declining, as a
function of how we use it.”
Michael Merzenich, Ph.D

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How’s it work?
(The Science)
 Synaptic plasticity – changes in
the strength of synapse connections
 Synaptogenesis – Creation and
removal of whole synapses
 Neuronal migration – Neural
connections moving to different areas
of the brain
 Neurogenesis – Creation of
neurons

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Why is it important?
 Bill Bernbach used to talk about “the unchanged man” in the 50s –
this is no longer relevant
 The pace of change with technology is faster than ever – never in
history have our behaviours transformed so much, so quickly – we
now check our mobiles 150 times a day
 Mobile connectivity, ubiquitous access to information, and
completely new ways to communicate are all fundamentally changing
our brains – we think differently as a result of our behaviours
 This means brands are speaking to different people to the past,
who behave and think in different ways

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Examples

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We have worse
impulse control
 A 2013 study found video games
can inhibit players' ability to rein in
impulsive or aggressive behaviour
 Researchers concluded that forcing
players to make snap decisions in
violent situations made them more
likely to react with immediate,
unchecked hostility in real life

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We dream in
colour
 In 2008, a study found that adults
over the age of 55 who had grown up
in a household with a black and white
television set were more likely to
dream in black and white
 Younger participants, who grew up
in the age of Technicolor, nearly
always experienced their dreams in
colour

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Our memories
are worse
 In 2007, a neuroscientist polled
3,000 people and found that the
younger respondents were less likely
to remember standard personal
information, such as a relative's
birthday or even their own phone
number

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…but we can
improve them
 IMPACT study of AARP Brain
Fitness software showed that on
average people made an improvement
in their memory equivalent to 10 years
 Participants successfully increased
their auditory processing by 131%
 3/4 users reported significant
positive changes in their lives

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We create more
 Tech makes it easier for artists and
non-artists alike to engage with
creative media
 Author Clay Shirkey argues that the
Internet enhances the excess hours
and brain power we can devote to
pursuing activities and goals we enjoy
 Social media sharing encourages us
to create and share things of our own

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We have better
visual skills
 A 2013 study found that first-person
shooter video games boost decision-
making and visual skills
 These games force players to make
snap decisions based on visual cues,
which enhances visuospatial attention
skills
 Gamers are also better at detecting
contrast between objects in dim
environments