Posted by Rachel
Growing up, my parents always told me that watching too much TV can turn your brain into applesauce. Now research suggests that too much time with gadgets and the internet can have the same effect.
This week the New York Times published a story on the mental price of constant interruption from phone calls and emails. Besides the obvious side effects of our daily technology – such as car accidents due to talking or texting on mobile phones – the distractions can interrupt work and family life. Findings suggest that being constantly interrupted can decreases productivity and change the way we think, giving us less concentration because our minds are constantly stimulated and jumping from place to place when we’re online.
Another New York Times article, An Ugly Toll of Technology: Impatience and Forgetfulness, says that some studies have found that excessive dependence on cell phones and the Internet is comparable to an addiction. The article also points out that some studies show technologies can change our personalities, and not in a good way.
“Some experts believe excessive use of the Internet, cellphones and other technologies can cause us to become more impatient, impulsive, forgetful and even more narcissistic,” the article says.
Despite the negative side effects of Internet and gadget overload, the Wall Street Journal recently published an interesting article on not only negative side effects, but a few positive changes that can happen in the brain.
One study outlined found that certain tasks, such as playing video games, can enhance “visual literacy skills,” meaning an increase in the speed at which people can shift their focus among icons and other images on screens. At the same time, this rapid change in focus can lead to “more automatic” thinking.
I think most have us have experienced tech distractions firsthand. An email comes in, and we forget what we were doing, we answer a call and get completely distracted. However whether or not these daily distractions/very helpful gadgets take over your life is up to you.
The lesson from these findings: like with anything else, too much of a good thing, is never a good thing. Enjoy the conveniences of today’s technology but be aware of your dependence on your favorite gadget or whatever your tech vice may be.
