Story About E-mail Overload Being Like Dope Smoking is Junk Science

The widely reported story last month of a study showing that information overload and the constant interruptions many suffer because of e-mail and other forms of electronic communciation had the same negative effects on intelligence as heavy marijuana smoking has been sparking lots of discussion about corporate manipulation and junk science.

The blog Mind Hacks contains a good dissection of the controversy and links to other sources that criticized the study.

The author's wise conclusion about the whole thing:

"Although this may have been a triumph for the marketing professionals, it has come at the price of misleading many people about the effects of communication technology on the mind and brain. Nevertheless, the advice that the distracting effects of technology are best tackled by switching off is probably sound. It applies equally well to corporate spin."