HOW TECHNOLOGY IS AFFECTING US

BY:JESSIE LETTS

Technology definition

- the branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment, drawing upon such subjects as industrial arts, engineering, applied science, and pure science.

Negative Effects• shallow knowledge

• using technology right after learning something new does not allow the brain to soak in all the information

• inefficient multitasking • studies show our ability to judge information as irrelevant is lessened as

well as our ability to manage problems

• fractured attention• people do not give others full attention due to the amount on time spent

on their devices • cursory reading

• we no longer read into depth, we skim through readings and rarely have the patience to read lengthy texts anymore. This does not allow for us to get the full thought someone was trying to portray

Truth

• the problem is not necessarily in the technology, it is how often we use the technology

brain plasticity• Brain plasticity

refers to the extraordinary ability of the brain to modify its own structure and function following changes within the body or in the external environment (BrainFacts, 2012).

brain plasticity• Our brains morph with extensive use of technology

among other things• changes our ability to make accurate judgements • changes the way we feel emotions• may become “less human” due to our brains

becoming cognitive machines• what makes us human is the connections

between the mind and body, our experiences that shape our memory, thinking and emotion.

• to avoid this, complete tasks that involve wisdom, do not use your smartphone for every question you need an answer to

Social interaction• technology closes that gap between distant

people, and increases distance in close people• oral communication is becoming less evident • people spend their time on social media rather

than communicate• cannot tell the tone of people voices via social

media which can cause negative altercations• technology has lots of negative effects but it is

very good for business advertisements due to the level of activity on social media

personal development • less interaction means less experiences to base your thoughts on

• interaction is a major part of personal development• it shapes our personality• it allows for us to build relationships

with others

Education • education levels are deteriorating

• time that should be spent listening in class or doing homework is spent using technology

• all the answers are found online, lessening the odds of people having to actually think of the answers

• less respect for lectures because the same information can be found online

social media• social media causes

problems such as cyber bullying

• people share their personal opinions via social media. If someone disagrees with this opinion it could spark an argument.

• if opinions were shared in person, the altercation likely would not happen. People tend to feel more confident online

symbolic interactionism theory

symbolic interactionism theory

• a sociological perspective that emphasizes that human behaviour is influenced by definitions and meanings that are created and maintained through symbolic interaction with others

Cont. • this theory suggests that we are shaped by

social interaction • we find ourselves by the way others

interact with each other and the way they label us

• technology takes away this social interaction therefore does not allow us to shape our personalities properly

• technology affects our memory, attention, what we focus on, and our sleep (the Age, 2015).

Labelling theory• as long as something is labelled as “fun”

or “in style”, people will continue with that fad• technology is not only a fad, but it

creates more• if people do not take part in social

media for example, they may get made fun of, or miss out on the new “cool” thing

CONT. • this can create social problems because

the more fortunate people may be able to afford more therefore a higher social rank

• example: someone may have a laptop of the HP brand, but the person with the macbook will look down on the HP

Probable solutions• do not make wifi available for free • set ground rules as a family. Only

allowed phones at certain times, only allowed certain amount of television

References• Horvath, A. (2015, June 4). How does technology affect our brains? Retrieved

April 03, 2016, from http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/voice/how-does-technology-affect-our-brains-20150604-3x5uq.html

• Is Technology Destroying our Brains? | Mystera. (n.d.). Retrieved April 03, 2016, from http://www.mystera-magazine.com/article/technology-destroying-our-brains

• Lewis, T. (2015). Here's what science says about how digital technology REALLY affects our brains. Retrieved April 03, 2016, from http://www.businessinsider.com/how-digital-technology-affects-our-brains-2015-8

• The effect of smart phones on social interaction. (n.d.). Retrieved April 03, 2016, from http://www.academia.edu/4661907/The_effect_of_smart_phones_on_social_interaction

• What is brain plasticity, and can it help relieve psychiatric or degenerative brain disorders? (2012, April 23). Retrieved April 3, 2016 from http://www.brainfacts.org/about-neuroscience/ask-an-expert/articles/2012/what-is-brain-plasticity