D. Chialvo, N. Justel, C. Malbrán y M. Czarny | Panel: ¿Cómo el mundo cambia nuestro cerebro? | ECyT

The discussion introduces two main aspects: new characteristics of the modern world and how they affect our brains. Marcela Czarny from Chicos.net highlights the event's focus on digital citizenship, digital literacy, and digital culture, defining these concepts and their importance in empowering children and adolescents. She emphasizes using technology consciously, offering the 'Dinner Without Screens' campaign as an example of choosing when to connect.

Nadia Justel discusses how the world alters our brain dynamics. Unlike organs like the heart, the brain is highly plastic and moldable, adapting to experiences. Socioeconomic status, including income, education level, occupation, and neighborhood, significantly influences brain structures like the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex, affecting memory, emotional processing, and inhibitory control. Modernization, particularly access to technology and mobility, also increases brain complexity.

Dante Chialvo begins a philosophical inquiry into what makes a brain human. He challenges the notion that evolutionary changes alone account for human distinctiveness, suggesting that 100,000 years is insufficient for such genetic shifts. Instead, he proposes that the 'human' aspect is largely developed through external, cultural interaction and learning over approximately 20 years. He introduces the concept of 'abstract projectuality' – the unique human ability to create internal projects without external demand – as a potential defining characteristic.

The panel opens for questions, addressing whether increased brain complexity has limits and if it correlates with a better quality of life. Nadia Justel clarifies that complexity doesn't equate to 'better' but rather 'different,' emphasizing that a majority of the world's population falls into categories deemed less 'modern.' The discussion also touches upon the concern that research on brain differences could be misused to justify discrimination, prompting a call for careful interpretation of scientific data.

The conversation shifts to the role of emotional and interpersonal intelligence in human distinctiveness, and how artificial intelligence might challenge our understanding of what it means to be human. Dante Chialvo emphasizes that while AI can process information and solve problems, it lacks the 'abstract projectuality' that drives humans to create problems and projects independently. The panel agrees on the need for continued, thoughtful research into these complex questions.

Cecilia Malbrán elaborates on her research comparing reading comprehension on paper versus screens. Her studies show that students reading on screens performed slower and worse on linear texts, even without hyperlinks, suggesting a difference in how the brain engages with digital versus print formats. She notes the need for further research incorporating hypertextuality and multimedia to understand the evolving landscape of digital literacy.

Nadia Justel introduces the Human Brain Diversity Project, led by Dr. Parati Garay, which aims to understand human brain dynamics globally. This project uses portable electroencephalograms to collect data from diverse populations, challenging the notion of a 'typical' brain by showing how socioeconomic factors, education, and access to technology correlate with brain complexity and the presence of typical brain wave patterns (like alpha oscillations).

Cecilia Malbrán explores how technology changes our thinking and cultural landscape. She draws parallels to historical technological shifts, like the invention of the clock, maps, and the printing press, which reshaped human cognition. Digital tools, she argues, represent a 'second revolution,' altering how we access and process information, leading to changes in attention (from sustained to divided) and memory (less reliance on long-term storage due to external access to information).

Cecilia Malbrán details the effects of constant interaction with digital stimuli. Positively, it encourages proactivity, curiosity, multitasking, and quick decision-making. Negatively, it can lead to reduced sustained attention, decreased reflective capacity, increased anxiety, and challenges with self-regulation. She cites studies on reading comprehension (digital vs. paper) and video games, showing impacts on visual acuity, short-term memory, and the release of dopamine, which can contribute to technology addiction.