“The average human attention span is shorter than that of a goldfish.”

The average attention span for the notoriously ill-focused goldfish is nine seconds, but according to a new study from Microsoft Corp., people now generally lose concentration after eight seconds, highlighting the affects of an increasingly digitalized lifestyle on the brain. Researchers in Canada surveyed 2,000 participants and studied the brain activity of 112 others using electroencephalograms (EEGs).

The famous "8-second attention span" claim-shorter than a goldfish-was never real science. One of the most widely cited statistics in the attention span conversation-that humans now have an 8-second attention span, one second shorter than a goldfish-was popularized after appearing in a 2015 report by Microsoft Canada. However, extensive investigation has revealed that the goldfish comparison may have been fabricated, but the underlying reality it gestures toward-that our attentional capacity is in decline-is robustly supported by two decades of research.

The myth surrounding human attention spans began with a study conducted by Microsoft. In their report, they actually cited that statistic from a website called The Statistic Brain. Beyond that, some doctors believe that the concept of an average attention span amounts to very little.

Popular accounts claiming the average person's attention span has dwindled to 8 seconds—shorter, supposedly, than a goldfish—are not corroborated by science. The Microsoft report credits “Statistic Brain” as the source of the numbers, and the figures are published on that company's website. But it attributes the information to still other sources. … The National Center for Biotechnology Information and the U.S. National Library of Medicine are also listed as sources, but Ron Gordner, a senior researcher at the library, could find no reference to the statistics in either of the organizations' publications.

The average adult internet user's attention span is 8.25 seconds, which surprisingly, is less than a goldfish's 9-second attention span. The average attention span of a human has decreased significantly over the years, from 12 seconds in 2000 to 8 seconds in 2013.

According to a Microsoft study, the average human has an attention span of 8.25 seconds. For a goldfish, it's nine seconds. In 2000, the study found the average human had an attention span of 12 seconds. That has decreased now to a little over eight seconds.

No, the average human attention span is not 1 second less than that of the goldfish. In 2015 most major publications like the Time Magazine quoted above reported that a human's attention span is only eight seconds long — one second shorter than the attention span of a goldfish. You have probably heard this myth multiple times — you might even believe it yourself. Good news: we do not have 8-second attention spans.

No, the average human attention span is not 1 second less than that of the goldfish. In 2015 most major publications like the Time Magazine quoted above reported that a human's attention span is only eight seconds long — one second shorter than the attention span of a goldfish. The information in the graph above was entirely fabricated. Not just the part about human attention but also the “goldfish fact”. In fact, no one knows how to actually measure a goldfish's attention span. What has been measured by researchers is goldfish memory, which, is actually quite good.

No, the average human attention span is not shorter than a goldfish's. But research suggests the average attention span may be decreasing, and that may be problematic, says Northeastern University professor Art Kramer.

As we go into 2026, it's important to note that the idea that our attention span is that short is completely wrong, completely unsupported by credible science. There is no large-scale, longitudinal, peer-reviewed study that proves people's attention spans are shrinking across the population. The famous “8-second attention span” number didn't originate from neuroscience; it emerged from vague marketing studies and surveys with unclear methodologies.

We've heard it at lectures, and perhaps echoed the claim ourselves – the attention span of a goldfish is 9 seconds, and that of humans is less. The first problem is the goldfish claim. The “8 second” reference is found only in the visual shown above and sourced to STATISTICS BRAIN. For now, don't succumb to the 8-second, we-are-lesser-beings-than-goldfish myth. And by the way – there is no science for the goldfish-at-9-seconds claim either. Apparently fish can pay attention much longer than 8 or 9 seconds too.

First, the goldfish myth: some sources claim that the average human attention span is now shorter than that of a goldfish—supposedly just 8 seconds. But let's pump the brakes on that. “Attention span” isn't a blanket state-of-mind. There are different types of attention. A more nuanced study by Microsoft indicates that while our selective attention might have shortened, our sustained attention can range from minutes to hours depending on the task.

Over the past two decades, researchers have found that the average time people stay focused on a single task has dropped from about 2.5 minutes to roughly 40 seconds. That erosion of sustained attention is linked to higher stress, more errors, and reduced productivity.