Is technology changing our brains for the better or for the worse? The human brain is a biological masterpiece and is the most advanced organ on the face of the planet. In Richard Restak’s essay “Attention Deficit: The Brain Syndrome of Our Era,” he speaks about how the advancements in technology in this modern era have affected the brain’s habits and functions. Multitasking is requiring the brain to change how it functions, its organizations, and efficiency throughout day-to-day tasks and is also enabling people to do things otherwise not possible. Within the past two decades, the amount of time we spend on using technology has increased by a large amount. Furthermore, as people started using technology more and more, they were and …show more content…
This idea can be applied to things such as global corporation operation and global politics or even family communications. It is apparent with these situations, the opportunities for which tasks can be accomplished is quite literally endless. On the other hand, people are now performing tasks (whether they are multitasking or not) at much more quickly than they used to. This might be attributed to the increased pace of life brought on partially by technology. In the future if the brain completely adapts to this quick pace and improves its multitasking efficiency, it could enable people to accomplish tasks at a much faster pace than even today. In conclusion, the human brain has changed very much most likely due to increasing amounts of people who multitask more frequently and due to advancements in technology. There have been many effects caused by these things of which some can be viewed as positive and others may be viewed as negative effects. Regardless of this there is really not much of a way for anybody to know whether multitasking is or isn’t worth it because everybody thinks and functions differently than one
Phillip Kmetz LA365 General Psychology May 8, 2016 Module 11 Case Study 1. “Kevin is a cheerful nine-year-old third grader who is brought to the outpatient clinic after the teacher at the private school he attends repeatedly called his mother about his worsening classroom behavior. His teacher described him as a likable and friendly youngster who always obeyed when spoken to but also repeatedly disrupted the class by his antics and could no longer be tolerated in the classroom. The teacher reported that he hummed and make noises under his breath, blurted out answers without raising his hand, and always tried to be first when the teacher asked a question, even though he often did not have the answer when called upon.
“And we still await the long-term neurological and psychological experiments that will provide a definitive picture of how the internet use affects cognition” (737). Carr by his own words acknowledges that evidence that is more definitive is needed. In addition, who is doing this experiment? Where is it taking place? The pieces of evidence that Carr does provide could be true, but without a source for all the evidence provided, that cannot be determined.
Nicholas Carr began by stating through personal experiences how surfing the web changes the way we process and receive information suggesting that Internet’s use chips away the capacity for concentration and contemplation. He then supported his claim by mentioning the hardships his friends are facing too. Unfortunately, providing personal opinions might not be valid in this case but rather null and void. In fact, he himself states that these are anecdotes and that further research and experiments are required to prove how Internet use negatively affects cognition. That said, a UCLA study in 2008 found that Internet searching may improve brain function and thus have a constructive impact on cognition.
However, I do agree the average attention span of humans has decreased since the internet’s invention. Carr (2008) narrates; “Over the past few years, I’ve had an uncomfortable sense that someone, or something, has been tinkering with my brain, remapping the neural circuitry, reprogramming the memory. My mind isn’t going-so far as I can tell-but it’s changing. I’m not thinking the way I used to think. I can feel it strongly when I’m reading” (p. 609).
Carr blames the change in our brain, while Keohane blames the psychological aspects of the mind. Carr states that information overload that the internet is providing, has a great impact on, "shaping the neural circuits inside our brains" (62). Different technologies throughout the years, for example, the production of the steam engine has impacted the brain. None of the inventions have quite changed the makeup of the brain quite like the internet (63). Keohane unlike Carr believes that information surplus is changing the intellectual part of our mind.
In my references I stumble upon various results of experiments that authors mention in their work and those results stated some of the consequences the brain faces after multitasking. Eric Jaffe (2012) shows how our brains are being rewired when we multitask with technology and how it’s nowadays harder for us to finish one single task in a reasonable time. Another results from the investigations is that very time the brain is forced to multitask it uses a vast amount of his nutrients leaving the person exhausted and with no energy only after a short period of time. My sources reveal that multitasking in general is bad, but when combined with technology it becomes dangerous. It has been scientifically proven that multitasking leaves us stressed,
In the present global world, we are living in the era of advanced technology like computes, smart phones, TV and so on; and I love that. As early day goes by technology is changed. Technology makes things happen so faster. In the article, “Meet your iBrain,” the authors Gary Small and Gigi Vorgan talk about the current explosion of digital technology and how is changing the way we lives, how we communicate, and it is also rapidly and profoundly altering our brains. “Our brain is evolving right now at a speed like never before” Gary and Gigi.
Nicholas Carr in The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains (2010) asserts that, “With the exception of alphabets and number systems, the net may well be the single most powerful mind-altering technology that has ever come into general use. At the very least, it’s the most powerful that has come along since the book.” (Carr, 2010, Pg. 108) Carr explains this quote throughout the entire book. He continues by adding real world examples and data from other studies. From all of the information that is gathered for this book, he creates the idea that internet has drastically changed culture and brought forward new ways of thinking that will exist for many years to come.
Markman suggests that removing the chances of a person getting involved in multitasking will develop a Culture of Smart. He points out that when a situation or task is highly important; it requires an individual’s complete attention.
In her essay, Multitasking or Mass ADD, Ellen Goodman discusses how people that have busy life 's "believe that multitasking makes them more efficient and successful". She explains that she is a terrible multitasker and believes that her "inability to simultaneously YouTube and IM make her a technological dinosaur". In her essay, Goodman mentions Clifford Nass ' research. Clifford Nass does a research experiment that tests high and low-level multitaskers. Nass believes that "we are breeding generations of kids whose ability to pay attention may be destroyed".
Cognitive fatigue slows your work rate. This piece of evidence proves that multitasking isn’t good for your brain and makes you work slower.
I get very distracted, I often have to stop whatever I’m doing and just day dream or I get lost in my phone. I also learned I shouldn't write multiple essays at once with the television on, that only blocks my creativity. The brain, like any other muscle, can get taxed due to multitasking switching between tasks and making multiple decisions might tire your brain to an expanse that a person might end up being a poor or less-effective decision maker. Multitasking can be a waste of time, and multitasking increases one stress levels, and anxiety.
Is technology bad for us? Who knew that technology usage can lead to memory problems? Since browsing through social media is very common nowadays, the brains are bombarded with electronic information. From instant messaging to blogs, it is easy to forget some things. Over the years, the debate about whether or not technology has a positive, or negative impact on society gets talked about on many sites and social media platforms.
The purpose of the paper is to examine ten of the most important things that have influenced me in my writing style when answering business email and letters related to work. I will also look at the best practices in business writing and the steps that need to be taken to have successful communication skills. Effective communication should focus on being practical, factual, concise, clear and persuasive. Multitasking Let’s take a look at multitasking and why there is so much talk about why people should or should not multitask.
Objective To find who will be better at multitasking considering female and male, namely any relationship between gender and multitask ability Introduction As the civilization is being developed and people has faced several works concurrently, they get to improve a skill to handle and manage the matters fast and more efficiently. As those situation inevitably occur, the notion of “Multitasking”, which is defined as the behavior to perform two or more task simultaneously of one person (Wikipedia), has been mainly used and stood out these days. For example, people usually do multitasking such as having a meal while doing their cell phone, or talking to their companions while walking on the road. Even, they may not recognize if what they are doing is multitasking.