Digital Well-being vs. Cognitive Numbing: An Analytical Study in Light of Cognitive Neuroscience
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65405/y6qxkk71Keywords:
Digital well-being, Cognitive numbing, Cognitive neuroscience, Default Mode Network, Digital mindfulness, Digital fatigueAbstract
This research investigates the growing tension between digital well-being and cognitive numbing within the framework of cognitive neuroscience. As digital immersion deepens globally, the neurological consequences of excessive technology use remain insufficiently examined, particularly in Arabic-speaking contexts. Employing a critical-analytical methodology, this study reviews scientific literature pertaining to the Default Mode Network (DMN), digital fatigue, and digital mindfulness, exploring how chronic digital overstimulation impairs prefrontal cortex flexibility, narrows attentional bandwidth, and disrupts the restorative cognitive cycles dependent on the DMN. The findings suggest that structured digital well-being practices grounded in mindfulness principles can reverse these impairments by fostering what is termed "digital neural plasticity." The research concludes with practical recommendations for educational and social institutions in the Arab world, with specific relevance to the Libyan context, while identifying significant research gaps that demand empirically grounded investigation in non-Western settings.
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