In this era of information explosion on the internet, various forms of information such as news, articles, blogs, tweets, videos, etc. bombard us every day. Let’s imagine, have you ever experienced feeling troubled, anxious, or even panicked while scrolling through your phone screen and browsing a large amount of new information? If you’ve had this experience, you are not alone. This is because our brains have not evolved to rapidly digest and absorb such a massive amount of information. So, what impact does this phenomenon have on us?
- Psychological effects of information overload The phenomenon of information overload in modern society may affect our emotions, making us more prone to feel anxious and stressed. A study published in the “Journal of Experimental Psychology” found that exposure to excessive information may lead to stress responses, thereby affecting emotions and cognitive function. The study subjects, when engaged in tasks requiring high attention and memory, showed significantly decreased performance when also dealing with a large amount of irrelevant information.
- Information overload and decision-making ability More importantly, information overload may also affect our decision-making ability. Researchers at Stanford University pointed out in an article published in “Nature Human Behaviour” that information overload may reduce the quality of people’s decisions and may lead them to make more impulsive decisions. For example, when shopping, consumers facing information overload may find it difficult to rationally compare and evaluate various products, ultimately leading to choosing the most conspicuous or most recent option rather than the most suitable one.
- Information overload and our physical health Excessive information may also have an impact on our physical health. A study published by the American Heart Association in “Circulation” found that people who spend long hours in front of computer screens processing excessive information are more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases than the normal population, which may be related to prolonged stress responses and sedentary behavior.
In this age of information explosion, we must recognize that while accessing information is becoming easier, our brains have not evolved to handle such a large amount of information. Therefore, we need to learn to filter information to protect ourselves from the effects of information overload. At the same time, we also need to rationally analyze information to avoid emotional decision-making and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
In the era of information explosion, it is crucial to effectively filter and manage information. Below are some tips for filtering information:
- Set information goals: Before you start searching for information, clarify the type of information you are looking for. This will help you to filter information more effectively.
- Use reliable sources: Rely on authoritative and reliable information sources. Unreliable sources may provide false or misleading information.
- Apply critical thinking: Do not accept all information blindly. Instead, critically analyze the source of information, its consistency, and whether it supports your needs.
- Learn to say “no”: Learn to say “no” to irrelevant or uninteresting information, or information that goes beyond your needs. This can help reduce information overload.
- Utilize tools and technology: There are many tools and technologies available to help us manage and filter information, such as RSS readers, news aggregation apps, or customized search tools.
- Regularly declutter: Periodically clean up your information sources, whether it’s email subscriptions or social media follows, and remove sources that no longer provide valuable information.
- Cultivate effective reading habits: Learn and practice effective reading habits, such as speed reading, prioritizing information, and identifying key points, to help you process information more effectively.
By employing these methods, we can better manage and filter information and avoid the negative impacts of information overload.
There are many excellent tools to help you manage and filter information. Here are some recommended RSS readers, news aggregation apps, and customized search tools:
RSS Readers:
- Feedly: A popular RSS reader that supports integration of multiple news sources and allows content to be categorized based on your interests.
- Inoreader: Another highly customizable RSS reader with save and search functions.
- The Old Reader: A simple and user-friendly RSS reader designed with a clean interface.
News Aggregation Apps:
- Flipboard: This app aggregates news and articles on topics of interest to create a digital magazine.
- Pocket: An app for saving articles and videos of interest for reading anytime, anywhere.
- Apple News / Google News: These news apps recommend news based on your reading habits.
Customized Search Tools:
- Google Scholar: A specialized search tool for academic papers and books.
- JSTOR: A multidisciplinary digital library containing academic journals, books, and primary sources.
- Microsoft Bing Custom Search: A customizable search engine that allows you to tailor search results to your needs.
These tools can help you effectively filter and manage information, reducing the pressure of information overload.
Reliable and authoritative information sources depend on the type of information you are seeking. Generally, academic journals, government websites, reputable news organizations, and nonprofit organizations can be considered relatively reliable sources. Here are some examples:
Academic Journals:
- Nature
- Science
- The Lancet
- The New England Journal of Medicine
- Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)
Government Websites:
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- United Nations (UN)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
Reputable News Organizations:
- BBC
- The New York Times
- The Guardian
- The Wall Street Journal
- Reuters
Nonprofit Organizations:
- World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
- Greenpeace
- Red Cross
Please note that while these are generally considered reliable and authoritative sources, it is still important to remain vigilant and apply critical thinking. Even the most authoritative sources may contain errors or biases. Continuously verifying information, considering multiple sources, and checking for consistency are important steps to ensure the quality of the information you access.
There are tools and methods to help you track information sources and compare across multiple sources. Here are some of them:
- Google Scholar: Widely used for academic research, Google Scholar can track all citations of a scholarly article, which is useful for confirming the impact and sources of an article.
- Wayback Machine: This tool allows you to view different versions of a webpage from the past, helping you track changes in information.
- Snopes or FactCheck.org: These websites specialize in fact-checking, helping the public identify and prevent misinformation.
- Google News: You can use Google News to see how different sources report on the same news event, providing different perspectives and potential biases.
- ProQuest: This database integrates various information sources, including news, journals, reports, and more, allowing for diverse comparison and querying.
- Crossref: This tool uses Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) to track academic literature, including publication information and citation tracking.
By using these tools and methods, you can more effectively track and compare information sources, helping you judge and obtain reliable information.