DO HOBBIES HAVE AN EFFECT ON COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE OF ADULTS? A PILOT STUDY

Abstract

Recent research in the field of neuroscience has illustrated the unique ability of the human brain to reorganize itself in response to different sensory experiences. It was earlier believed that the plastic nature of the brain was limited to the early youth and remained static throughout an individual’s lifespan. Longitudinal studies have shown that an enriched environment has a profound impact on the central nervous system (CNS) during childhood as well as adulthood. This impact has been associated with neural plasticity processes.

In the workspace to improve productivity, rooting out preconceived biases and nurturing innovativeness is of prime importance. To achieve this, the employees must have self-awareness.  This science behind neuroplasticity can be harnessed to achieve this.  Engaging in enrichment activities promotes the building of neural circuitry and can help replace experiential biases with new experiences.

The aim of this study is to see how attention and memory spans vary across individuals who participate in hobbies and those who do not. This study is looking at an individual’s performance in an attention and memory task, since attention and memory are critical to identifying and rectifying biases in point of view.