There is a big difference between high cognition tasks and low cognition tasks. Every second I spend collecting sites for research is a low cognition task. I’m acting as a filter, and as a result I can do things like watch television or distract myself on Twitter. High cognition tasks like taking that research and transforming it into words on page represent an entirely different paradigm that requires that I put Twitter and television away and focus my limited supply of attention on doing them right.
Incentives work on low cognition tasks.
Intrinsic motivation works on high cognition tasks.
Low cognition tasks can be automated or outsourced.
High cognition tasks can not (as of time of this writing) be.
The smart money is on high cognition tasks.
