Information overload

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Information overload is a term that is usually used in conjunction with various forms of Computer-mediated communication such as Electronic mail. It refers to the state of having too much information to make a decision or remained informed about a topic. Large amounts of historical information to dig through, a high rate of new information being added, contradictions in available information, a low signal-to-noise ratio making it difficult to identify what information is relevant to the decision, or the lack of a method for comparing and processing different kinds of information can all contribute to this effect.

Information overload is a problem for pilots of fighter aircraft and attack helicopters, as they have to process large amounts of information and make decisions within split seconds.

Related to academic disciplines, chaos, and improving channels for conveying data from one place to another (such as writing, printing, sound and image recording, storage and global networks of broadcasting and communication channels).

The term was coined in 1970 by Alvin Toffler in his book Future Shock and it is now seen as being such a problem that a recent article in the New Scientist claimed that information overload was causing more damage to people's IQ than marijuana.

A similar term "information pollution" appears to have been coined by Jakob Nielsen and more recently the term "interruption overload" has begun to appear in newspapers such as the Financial Times.

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