Buzz
While we’re all familiar with the countless advantages modern technology offers, we must also consider its drawbacks. The technology we use regularly can alter our behaviors, personalities, and more—sometimes in unexpected ways.
10. The Echo Chamber Effect
As a result, social media users often have to actively seek out opposing views, which most fail to do. This effect deepens divisions by ensuring that groups on different sides of an issue are engaging in entirely separate conversations.
Interactions between opposing sides typically manifest as conflict. This phenomenon is referred to as a “filter bubble,” where individuals who primarily consume news via social media rarely encounter opposing viewpoints.
9. Technology and Obesity
Multiple factors have contributed to the growing obesity problem in the United States. It follows that widespread use of smartphones, tablets, televisions, and gaming consoles may play a part in keeping us more inactive.
A wide-ranging study by the US-based Milken Institute analyzed obesity rates across 27 countries and found an unexpectedly consistent trend: For every 10 percent increase in a country's expenditure on tech devices, obesity rates rise by 1 percent.
With technology keeping us seated for long periods, our physical activity has declined, and our eating habits have shifted. Many programs, such as free weight loss counseling and fitness centers, have been introduced by local governments and employers to address this issue.
8. The Internet Has Reduced Your Attention Span
It may not be surprising that the rapid consumption of digital content has led to a shortened attention span, but a Canadian study funded by Microsoft highlights this change in a striking way. The research, which involved detailed surveys and EEG brain scans, measured the attention spans of over 2,000 Canadians in 2000 and again in 2015, around the beginning of the mobile era.
The result: The average attention span decreased from 12 seconds to just 8 seconds—a shocking reduction of one-third in just 15 years. While the report notes that this decline has been accompanied by an increase in the ability to multitask, it also highlights that 8 seconds is shorter than the attention span of a typical goldfish.
7. On-Demand Culture is Making Us More Impatient
The rise of YouTube and on-demand video streaming is contributing to a culture where few are willing to wait for anything—especially entertainment. A study from UMass Amherst analyzed the viewing habits of over six million internet users to determine how long the average person would wait for a video to load. The result: just two seconds, after which viewers would abandon the video in large numbers.
This impatience is spilling over into real life. More and more major retailers are offering same-day delivery services, and mobile apps designed to minimize wait times for restaurant reservations or cab rides are rapidly gaining popularity. A Pew Research study on hyperconnected adults under 35 concluded with a cautionary note, resembling a prescription warning: 'Negative effects include a need for instant gratification and loss of patience.'
6. GPS Impacts Brain Function
GPS has become an essential tool in our daily lives. Many of us can't imagine how we navigated before relying on apps like Maps (remember actual paper maps?). However, research from McGill University reveals that overusing GPS could have negative effects on our long-term memory as we age, according to three separate studies.
This is because the hippocampus—the part of the brain responsible for memory—also plays a crucial role in spatial navigation. The researchers discovered that participants who depended more on traditional navigation methods rather than GPS had greater gray matter volume and increased activity in the hippocampus.
One neuroscientist involved in the study even suggested that excessive reliance on GPS could contribute to the earlier onset of dementia, and that minimizing its use might help delay cognitive decline.
5. More Technology Results in Less Creative Thinking
One might assume that the vast amount of information and resources available online would boost creativity. However, the truth is quite the opposite, and the reasoning behind it makes perfect sense.
Researchers from Johns Hopkins and the University of Illinois recently conducted a study on the effects of resource abundance on creativity. They found that an abundance of resources actually stifles creative thinking, while scarcity fosters it. When resources are limited, they are used more resourcefully.
The researchers identified a concept they call the “constraint mindset,” which is a cognitive process driven by scarcity. When fewer resources are available, more inventive solutions are necessary to achieve the desired outcome.
The study also observed that while creative thinking scores have been steadily declining since 1990, IQ scores have been consistently increasing. These trends are particularly noticeable in the 5–10 age group.
4. Smartphones Are Altering Your Sleep Habits
A 2012 survey conducted by Time magazine, which included 4,700 participants, revealed that many respondents agreed with the statement, 'I don’t sleep as well as I used to because I am connected to technology all the time.' A full quarter of people aged 18–24 shared this sentiment. Furthermore, there is a scientific explanation for why using smartphones in the evening may interfere with sleep.
Humans have evolved to recognize when to sleep and wake based on the quality of ambient light. 'Red' light, commonly seen during dusk, signals to the body that it's time for sleep, whereas 'blue' light is the cue that it's time to wake up.
This 'blue' light is typically seen in the morning and is also emitted by smartphones and tablets. This inhibits melatonin, the brain's sleep-regulating chemical. A Harvard study notes that this 'blue' light also decreases the duration of REM sleep, which is essential for optimal mental function.
3. Misinformation Spreads Through Fake News
The rise of 'fake news' websites became a significant issue in 2016, as these sites often resemble legitimate news sources, complete with convincing URLs.
Fake news sites have been criticized for publishing misleading or completely false stories to drive traffic. One might assume that such easily disproven stories would have little effect in the Information Age, but a Stanford study conducted in 2015 suggests the contrary.
Various evaluations were conducted to assess middle school, high school, and college students' ability to assess the reliability of online information. In one such evaluation, 80 percent of participants were unable to distinguish between an article and an advertisement labeled 'sponsored content' on the same page.
Stanford researchers carried out the study across 12 states and were surprised by the findings. Lead researcher Sam Wineburg commented, 'Despite their proficiency with social media, many students are unaware of basic markers that signal verified digital information.'
2. Google Reduces Your Ability to Retain Information
Almost any piece of information can be found with a quick Google search, which is both highly beneficial and problematic. Scientists from Harvard and the University of Wisconsin argue in a recent study that this has resulted in the 'Google effect'—a tendency to use the Internet as an external memory bank, leading to a decrease in the need to retain information ourselves.
One of the experiments focused on participants' 'cognitive self-esteem,' or their perception of their ability to remember information. The study revealed that using the Internet to find answers gave participants a cognitive boost, similar to the confidence they would gain from knowing the answer themselves.
This suggests that people begin to view the Internet as an extension of their own cognitive abilities rather than just a tool, which leads to a decline in the motivation to retain new information.
1. Texting Impairs Our Communication Skills
Texting has become the dominant form of communication for almost everyone. Even older age groups in the U.S. now send more text messages daily than make phone calls.
While much has been said about how text and email can strip conversations of context, recent studies indicate that the problem runs even deeper. Texting may be gradually diminishing our ability to pick up on emotional cues from others.
These nonverbal, visual signals are essential for effective communication, and some experts in developmental psychology express concern that growing up with little exposure to them may hinder the social development of young people.
While adults entered the digital age with established social skills, this is not the case for children and teens. The younger generation may struggle more than their predecessors when it comes to engaging in face-to-face conversations.
