learning Archives - Amazing Health Advances

MIT Study Warns Regular ChatGPT Use Erodes Critical Thinking, Creates “Cognitive Bankruptcy”

The AHA! Team — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 05:04:47 +0000

Lance D Johnson via Natural News – The MIT study exposes a troubling paradox: while AI promises to democratize learning, it may also stunt intellectual development. In an era where artificial intelligence promises to revolutionize education, a groundbreaking MIT study delivers a sobering reality check: reliance on AI tools like ChatGPT may be crippling the next generation’s ability to think independently. As schools rush to integrate large language models (LLMs) into classrooms, researchers warn that these systems are not just assisting students—they’re replacing the very cognitive processes essential for deep learning, problem-solving, and intellectual growth. The study, conducted by MIT’s Media Lab, reveals that students using ChatGPT for essay writing exhibited alarmingly low brain activity, weak memory retention, and diminished ownership of their work compared to those who relied on traditional research or their own knowledge. Key points: MIT researchers found ChatGPT users showed the lowest neural engagement and produced the weakest essays in quality, coherence, and originality. Brain scans (EEG) confirmed widespread cognitive disengagement—AI users copied and pasted text with minimal critical analysis. Google searchers performed moderately, while the “brain-only” group demonstrated the highest cognitive activation and retention. Lead researcher Nataliya Kosmyna warns policymakers against “GPT kindergarten”, fearing irreversible damage to developing minds. AI’s convenience comes at a cost: passive consumption replaces active learning, eroding problem-solving skills and intellectual autonomy. The cognitive cost of AI dependency The study divided participants into three groups: one using ChatGPT, another using Google, and a third relying solely on their own knowledge to write SAT-style essays. EEG monitoring revealed stark differences in brain activity. ChatGPT users displayed scattered, shallow neural patterns, suggesting their minds were on autopilot—processing information superficially without deep synthesis. In contrast, the brain-only group showed intense, coordinated activation across regions tied to critical thinking, memory, and creativity. “What really motivated me to put it out now before waiting for a full peer review is that I am afraid in 6-8 months, there will be some policymaker who decides, ‘let’s do GPT kindergarten,’” Kosmyna told TIME. “I think that would be absolutely bad and detrimental. Developing brains are at the highest risk.” The findings align with growing concerns about “cognitive offloading”—the tendency to outsource mental labor to machines. Unlike traditional search engines, which require users to evaluate sources and synthesize information, ChatGPT delivers pre-packaged answers, discouraging independent analysis. Researchers noted that AI users struggled to recall their own essays days later, while brain-only participants retained detailed knowledge. Education’s dangerous AI experiment The MIT study exposes a troubling paradox: while AI promises to democratize learning, it may also stunt intellectual development. Younger users, whose brains are still forming critical neural pathways, are most vulnerable. The study’s X post reaction summarized the threat succinctly: AI isn’t boosting productivity—it’s fostering “cognitive bankruptcy.” Historical context amplifies these concerns. Decades ago, educational psychologist Lev Vygotsky emphasized that struggle is essential for growth—forcing the mind to bridge gaps in understanding builds resilience and deeper comprehension. Modern pedagogy, however, increasingly prioritizes speed and convenience over cognitive rigor. The rise of LLMs risks accelerating this decline, creating a generation fluent in regurgitating AI outputs but incapable of original thought. The path forward: Balancing tech with cognitive sovereignty Not all technology undermines learning. The study’s Google group—while outperformed by brain-only peers—still engaged in active information retrieval and evaluation, exercising decision-making skills. The key difference? Search engines demand interaction; AI tools encourage passivity. To mitigate harm, experts urge: Delaying AI integration in early education until brains mature. Structuring assignments to require analysis, not just output generation. Promoting “brain-first” learning—forcing students to grapple with ideas before seeking AI help. Developing learning methods that inspire students to seek information that is useful and to question official narratives. Using AI, not in a passive capacity, but in a way that encourages critical thinking and mastering one’s own learning experience. Utilizing AI to assist in mundane capacities that free up the mind to pursue more creative or stimulating learning endeavors that matter. As AI reshapes education, society must choose: Will we raise thinkers—or just efficient mimics of machine logic? If students are provided AI tools and taught what to think, without question or reason, then kids will grow up looking to be spoon fed narratives and generalized information. If students are provided AI tools but are taught how to think, how to question, and how to master their learning experience, then kids will be better suited to navigate the propaganda and mindlessness that AI engines could impart. Sources include: Yournews.com Scribd.com Enoch, Brighteon.ai To read the original article, click here

The post MIT Study Warns Regular ChatGPT Use Erodes Critical Thinking, Creates “Cognitive Bankruptcy” appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Can Sleep Protect Us from Forgetting Old Memories?

AHA Publisher — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 07:00:14 +0000

University of California – San Diego via EurekAlert – From lowering your risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease to improving your concentration and overall daily performance, sleep has been proven to play a critical role in our health. In a new study, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine report that sleep may also help people to learn continuously through their lifetime. Writing in the August 4, 2020 online issue of eLife, researchers used computational models capable of simulating different brain states, such as sleep and awake, to examine how sleep consolidates newly encoded memories and prevents damage to old memories. “The brain is very busy when we sleep, repeating what we have learned during the day. Sleep helps reorganize memories and presents them in the most efficient way. Our findings suggest that memories are dynamic, not static. In other words, memories, even old memories, are not final. Sleep constantly updates them,” said Maksim Bazhenov, PhD, lead author of the study and professor of medicine at UC San Diego. “We predict that during the sleep cycle, both old and new memories are spontaneously replayed, which prevents forgetting and increases recall performance.” Bazhenov said that memory replay during sleep plays a protective role against forgetting by allowing the same populations of neurons to store multiple interfering memories. “We learn many new things on a daily basis and those memories compete with old memories. To accommodate all memories, we need sleep.” For example, imagine learning how to navigate to a parking lot by going left at one stop sign and right at one traffic light. The next day, you have to learn how to get to a different parking lot using different directions. Bazhenov said sleep consolidates those memories to allow recollection of both. “When you play tennis, you have a certain muscle memory. If you then learn how to play golf, you have to learn how to move the same muscles in a different way. Sleep makes sure that learning golf does not erase how to play tennis and makes it possible for different memories to coexist in the brain,” said Bazhenov. The authors suggest that the restorative value of sleep may be what is lacking in current state-of-the-art computer systems that power self-driving cars and recognize images with performances that far exceed humans. However, these artificial intelligence systems lack the ability to learn continuously and will forget old knowledge when new information is learned. “We may need to add a sleep-like state to computer and robotic systems to prevent forgetting after new learning and to make them able to learn continuously,” said Bazhenov. Bazhenov said the study results could lead to developing new stimulation techniques during sleep to improve memory and learning. This may be particularly important in older adults or persons suffering from learning disabilities. “While sleep is certainly involved in many important brain and body functions, it may be critical for making possible what we call human intelligence — the ability to learn continuously from experience, to create new knowledge and to adapt as the world changes around us,” said Bazhenov. To read the original article click here.

The post Can Sleep Protect Us from Forgetting Old Memories? appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Fragrances Can Enhance Learning During Sleep

AHA Publisher — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 08:00:32 +0000

University of Freiburg via News-Medical Net – Effortless learning during sleep is the dream of many people. The supportive effect of smells on learning success when presented both during learning and sleep was first proven in an extensive sleep laboratory study. Researchers at the University of Freiburg – Medical Center, the Freiburg Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health (IGPP) and the Faculty of Biology at the University of Freiburg have now shown that this effect can be also achieved very easily outside the lab. For the study, pupils in two school classes learned English vocabulary – with and without scent sticks during the learning period and also at night. The students remembered the vocabulary much better with a scent. The study was published in the Nature Group’s Open Access journal Scientific Reports on 27 January 2020. “We showed that the supportive effect of fragrances works very reliably in everyday life and can be used in a targeted way,” said study leader PD Dr. Jürgen Kornmeier, head of the Perception and Cognition Research Group at the Freiburg-based IGPP and scientist at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the University of Freiburg – Medical Center in Germany. The Smell of Roses When Learning and Sleeping For the study, first author and student teacher Franziska Neumann conducted several experiments with 54 students from two 6th grade classes of a school in southern Germany. The young participants from the test group were asked to place rose-scented incense sticks on their desks at home while learning English vocabulary and on the bedside table next to the bed at night. In another experiment, they also placed the incense sticks on the table next to them during a vocabulary test at school during an English test. The results were compared with test results in which no incense sticks were used during one or more phases. “The students showed a significant increase in learning success by about 30 percent if the incense sticks were used during both the learning and sleeping phases,” says Neumann. The results also suggest that the additional use of the incense sticks during the vocabulary test promotes memory. Findings Are Suitable for Everyday Use “One particular finding beyond the seminal initial study was, that the fragrance also works when it is present all night. This makes the findings suitable for everyday use.” Dr. Jürgen Kornmeier, head of the Perception and Cognition Research Group, Freiburg-based IGPP Previous studies had assumed that the fragrance needs to be only present during a particularly sensitive sleeping phase. However, since this sleep phase needs to be determined by an effortful measurement of brain activity by means of an electroencephalogram (EEG) in the sleep laboratory, this finding was not suitable for everyday use. “Our study shows that we can make learning during sleep easier. And who would have thought that our nose could help considerably in this,” says Kornmeier. To read the original article click here.

The post Fragrances Can Enhance Learning During Sleep appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

5 Myths About the Brain

AHA Publisher — Sun, 29 Sep 2019 03:26:33 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – You are a complex, dynamic being whose ability to think is a veritable universe, not a singular style. We should not approach learning with the preconception that there is “thinking inside the box” learning and “thinking outside the box” learning. In recent years, neuroscience has become very popular. It is almost as though adding the prefix “neuro,” as in neuro-education, neuro-leadership, neuro-spirituality and so on, gives the method, course, program, or book more clout, thereby increasing its credibility. With so many articles on how the brain works, and so many programs promising to boost brain function, it can be confusing to know just what to believe when it comes to thinking and learning. Because we are only just beginning to understand how the brain works, and the mind-brain connection, we need to be very careful when it comes to believing everything that we hear, especially since “neuromyths” have a way of sticking around long after science disproves them! What are “neuromyths” specifically? These myths are common and damaging misconceptions about the nature of the brain, which shape our understanding of learning, education, work, science, and life, which, in turn, influences what we believe about our own abilities to succeed in life! Unfortunately, a number of these myths are prevalent among the general public, educators, and even neuroscientists! In fact, some of the main myths I encountered during my studies, research and clinical practice, are still around today. What Are These Neuromyths, and Why Should You Be Wary When You Hear or Read About Them? • “The Left-Right Brain” Neuromyth: You are not a “left-brain thinker” or a “right-brain thinker”. Effective thinking involves both the right and left brain working in a synergistic way. The right brain processes information from our minds from the big picture to the detail, while the left-brain processes information from our minds from the detail to the big picture. Everything we do, from eating to talking to reading to thinking, and so on, requires the parallel processing of the left side of the brain’s design to process from detail to the big picture, and the right-side design to process big picture to detail. The two sides, together, give the wholemeaning. The mind works through the whole brain; and the whole brain in turn respond to the mind in a very coordinated way. It is therefore incorrect to say the left brain is logical and that the right brain is creative—this is scientifically impossible. • “The Learning Styles” Neuromyth: Many individuals believe that they learn better when they receive information in their preferred learning style. This is often why people describe themselves as “visual” or “auditory” learners, because that is what they are aware of—but this is not what is really happening. These kinds of statements and beliefs are reductionistic; it is impossible to just use one mode of thought as you learn and build memory because a thought passes through different parts of the brain as it forms, much like how food is digested through the different parts of the digestive system. You are a complex, dynamic being whose ability to think is a veritable universe, not a singular style. We should not approach learning with the preconception that there is “thinking inside the box” learning and “thinking outside the box” learning. As the “gangsta gardener” Ron Finley says, when it comes to the human imagination there isn’t a box to begin with. Research has actually shown that we limit our learning when learning styles theory is used. For example, many neuromyths mistakenly imply that a single factor is responsible for a given outcome when learning. However, what these approaches reflect is a gross underestimation of the complexity of human behavior, especially the cognitive and metacognitive skills of attention, reasoning, memory, and learning—which drive the processes of life. • “The Memory” Neuromyth: Memory is not only the heart of learning, but it is also indispensable in every area of life. But what is memory? How how can we use it to the best of our abilities? “Improve your memory!” “Increase your memory capacity!” “How to Get an Exceptional Memory Fast!” are typical examples of a number of advertising slogans for apps, books, pills, and programs. Memory, however, is complex, and not fully understood. All we know for certain is that memory-building requires intensive focus and understanding. Long-term memory and habit formation takes time and hard work to develop—there is no quick fix or simple solution when it comes to building memory. Unfortunately, commercial, computer-based memory training programs and games which claim to benefit those suffering from purported ADHD, dyslexia, language disorders, poor academic performance, the dementias, mental ill-health, and many other issues fall short of the mark. Research shows that the short-term memory and sensory skills developed in these so-called “brain games” do not necessarily develop deep thinking, meaningful cognitive skills that change behavior in ways that lead to success. These games do not improve the kind of intelligence that helps people intellectualize, reason, solve problems, and make wise choices. In contrast, mental training via deep thinking and understanding to build memory and learn—as I put forward in my techniques in my books and programs—increases the numbers of neurons that survive, particularly when the training goals are challenging. This survival of neurons with their dendrites (where memory is actually stored) means long-term useful and meaningful memories are formed. • “The Rote Memorization” Neuromyth: We are not designed to remember everything and anything! In fact, we only really need to remember the “meat” of what we are learning, which usually amounts to 20-30 % of the information. It is important that we remember that we are designed to remember what we needto succeed—if we try to learn every word and sentence we will exhaust ourselves and find it difficult to build useful memories. In fact, learning the “meat” requires more comprehension and deep, focused understanding—it is a lot easier to regurgitate information without even thinking! We need to learn what to learn and howto learn! • “Intelligence is Predetermined” Neuromyth: Intelligence is not fixed or static. We are not a measurement of intelligence. Intelligence is dynamic and malleable—we are actually as intelligent as we want to be! The truth is that the more we think deeply about what we are reading and learning, the more intelligent we become! Intelligence is directly related to how we build memory, which can change, develop and grow! For more information on neuromyths and the mind, see my book Think, Learn and Succeed! To read the original article click here. For more articles by Dr. Leaf click here.

The post 5 Myths About the Brain appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.