Microsoft famously reported that average attention spans dropped from 12 seconds for millennials to 8 seconds for Gen Z, but experts say the reality is more complex. Barbara Jacquelyn Sahakian, Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology at University of Cambridge, explains attention has multiple forms including scanning, sustained, divided, and alternating attention. Soccer research found 10-second scanning gives players performance advantages, while medical students retained information best between 15-30 minutes into lectures, not during the first 15 minutes. Gen Z spends 2.5 hours daily on social media, demonstrating sustained attention when motivated. Children with ADHD struggle in school but focus on games for hours because motivation drives attention. “When enjoying yourself, time goes by quickly, and it is easy to sustain your attention over a long period of time,” researchers note. (Story URL)

PHONE TOPIC: What activity/show/subject is the perfect match for your attention span?