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The Attention Economy with Dr. Sarah Chen

March 28, 2026 ⏱ 52:14 The Inkwell Podcast
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Ep. 1
52:14

Show Notes

Dr. Sarah Chen, cognitive scientist and author of The Distracted Mind, joins us to discuss how the architecture of social platforms shapes our cognitive habits — and what we can actually do about it.

We cover the neuroscience of scrolling, why push notifications are engineered to be irresistible, what the research shows about multi-tasking, and practical strategies for reclaiming genuine attention in a world optimised to fragment it.

Show Notes

  • Dr. Chen’s research on smartphone interruption and IQ reduction
  • The “attention residue” concept and why task-switching is so costly
  • Recommended reading: Stolen Focus by Johann Hari
  • The single most effective intervention for reclaiming attention

Podcast host.