Technology has evolved at an astonishing rate over the past few decades. Smartphones, the internet, cloud computing, and hundreds of other inventions are changing every aspect of our lives.
Communications, business, government, travel, fundraising, and even agriculture have changed. What about our life and brain? Are all these new technologies changing us from the inside? Many people think so, including professional psychologists.
How Technology Is Changing Our Brain
As modern psychology says, there is little doubt that all new technologies, including the Internet and other digital technologies, shape our way of thinking in obvious and subtle ways. They can be useful and harmful.
While research in this area is still in its infancy and there are no scientific conclusions. There are several areas where modern digital technology certainly influences how we interact with the world and how our children’s brains develop.
How Modern Technology Is Influencing Us
Making Decisions
You need to buy a new car. What do you do first? If you are like millions of other people, you go online to do your research. No matter what decision you have to make. Whether you’re trying to figure out where to dine or how to find the best essay writing service – you can turn to the internet for advice. It means that we, as a species, no longer have to rely on gut instinct alone. But can instead gather facts and knowledge to make informed decisions.
Building Relationships
It is expected that 2.9 billion people will be on social media by 2025. Combine that with personal messages sent through both traditional SMS messages and messaging apps. We’re revolutionizing the way we build and maintain relationships.
But is this good or bad? If we are having dinner with friends and at the same time texting with a family member in California and discussing events in Japan with acquaintances, are we fully involved in any of those relationships? On the other hand, doesn’t being able to stay connected with friends and family around the world support relationships that might otherwise end?
Many people believe the internet is good for our relationships. But it remains to be seen whether children who grow up with smartphones are developing the interpersonal and relationship-building skills they need to form deep and meaningful relationships. Or whether our species will be isolated from close personal contacts and feel discomfort from them.
Influencing Memory
The Internet gives us access to a wealth of information. And our personal computers can store every shopping list and random thoughts we have, allowing us to access the information when we need it later.
New research has shown that this pervasive access to information has changed not only what we save, but also how we remember information. Our dependence on the internet has reduced our ability to remember facts. However, we seem to be improving our ability to remember where and how to find information.
Example:
Now we are more likely to remember in which folder we stored information than to remember the information itself. Likewise, when we face the question about a fact, we are more likely to remember the search queries that helped us find answers to similar questions than the facts themselves.
Source Of Information
Doesn’t matter whether it is cooking chicken to setting bed cover, many of us use Google to find the best way possible. However, with the availability of tons of information, we are becoming reliant on it. Even the students when get stuck somewhere in their assignments, take their phone, and look for assignment writing help. But the question remains, is it doing any good?
Constant Use
As days are passing by, people are becoming more and more technology addicts. A person cannot pass his free time by doing some creative exercise. Rather everyone prefers enjoying free time by using gadgets e.g. phones, tablets, etc. Lack of physical activities is also causing many diseases.
Summing Up
Taking into account all of the above, we can conclude that the Internet and digital technologies can affect our physical and psychological development to a greater extent than we expected. Modern life is practically impossible without the use of computers. But fully becoming reliant on them is not good either.
