The Attention Experiment introduces students to a simple, memorable sequence that helps them notice what happens to their attention when they go online — and practise small shifts that restore choice and focus.
The Scroll Loop… Let's start with something we all do…
Notifications, short-form videos, autoplay, and infinite scroll are all built to draw attention in — often before we’ve made a conscious choice.
Each swipe or scroll can trigger a small release of dopamine — a reward signal in the brain That feeling fades quickly, which encourages another swipe, and then another as the brains Default Mode Network gets activated, responsible for daydreaming, and you lose track of time.
Most of this happens automatically.
It’s not a lack of willpower — it’s how the system works.
Before we think about it, the body often signals that something has shifted:
That moment of noticing — “something doesn’t feel quite right” — is the shift.
In the session, students practise making choices of how they move out the loop
This might be:
Even a single breath can interrupt the loop
That pause is a moment where choice comes back online.
The sequence works by helping students recognise automatic patterns of attention and creating a brief pause where more deliberate choices can be made, supporting focus, self-regulation, and learning.
Story-based examples are informed by youth-led research and young people’s lived experiences.
A simple way to help them notice what’s happening to their attention.
The Attention Experiment