Last week, we talked about cleaning out your fridge. This week, let’s look at decluttering our brain… sort of.
You’ve probably had a parent, teacher, or boss that insisted on keeping a clean, clutter-free work environment. “The condition of your desk is a reflection of the condition of your mind!” is what my first boss used to say. It seems he may have been onto something!
A study published on October 22 in the journal Neuron by Yale researchers revealed that visual clutter affects how information flows in the brain, depending on its location in the visual field. This research enhances our understanding of the visual cortex, the part of the brain that processes visual information from the eyes, and the neural basis of perception.
Anirvan Nandy, an assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine, noted that visual clutter can significantly impact our ability to perceive objects based on their position. For example, when trying to read the word “cat” from the corner of our eye, the letter “t” affects our identification of the letter “a” more than the letter “c” due to a phenomenon known as “visual crowding.”
In the study, macaque monkeys were trained to focus on a central point while visual stimuli were presented around them. Researchers recorded neural activity in the primary visual cortex. They found that while the position of visual clutter did not change the transmission sequence between neurons, it did affect the efficiency of that information flow.
Monika Jadi, another co-senior author, clarified that both the primary and secondary visual cortices perform complex computations. The study discovered that subunits within these areas further process and selectively share information, bridging a gap in vision research.
The researchers are now interested in exploring how clutter impacts information processing between brain regions and how attention influences this system. For example, a person might focus on a car ahead while also paying attention to a vehicle in another lane.
“When you’re driving, for instance, you may be looking at the car in front of you, but your attention could be focused on a car in the next lane as you try to determine if they’re about to merge,” Nandy explained.
Therefore, the detailed visual information you’re getting is from the car in front of you, but the information of interest is outside of your focus.
“How does that attention compensate for the fact that while you don’t have the best resolution information, you’re still able to perceive that attended part of the visual space much better than where you’re actually looking?” pondered Jadi. “How does attention influence information flow in the cortex? That’s what we want to explore.”
So, how can we apply this research to our productive lives?
- Declutter Your Space: Remove non-essential items to create a more minimalist environment that promotes focus.
- Organize Thoughtfully: Use storage solutions like bins and shelves to keep items organized and out of sight.
- Limit Color Schemes: Choose a calming color palette to reduce visual chaos and promote tranquility.
- Simplify Digital Interfaces: Streamline your digital workspace by organizing files and minimizing distractions.
- Create Specific Zones: Designate areas for different activities to help mentally separate tasks and improve focus.
- Incorporate Nature: Adding plants or natural light can enhance mood and cognitive function.
It may be common sense, but having research to back it up can help inspire us to actually make the change. Set aside a few minutes at the beginning and end of your day to clear away what isn’t absolutely necessary. It will improve your ability to focus and help you to get more of what’s actually important done!
Sources:
https://www.cell.com/neuron/abstract/S0896-6273(24)00693-7
https://infovis-wiki.net/wiki/Visual_Clutter
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/visual-cortex
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3070834/