As we all know that our environment plays a major role in shaping our thinking process and how we react to changes outside. Similarly, the 21st century generation is being affected by a massive technology exposure so much so that it has become almost impossible to live without mobile phones, laptops and other digital devices.
Technology has completely changed our society over the past few decades, from the way we work to the way we socialize and everything in between.
We are now living in the age where we don’t need to worry about our closed ones while they are away or ask around people so as to locate someone because today’s devices enable us to make use of the latest technology in order to do things that were not possible before.
The Million Dollar Concern: Does technology affect our brains more than it has an impact on our lives?
It won’t be incorrect to say that our thinking process has changed a lot in the way we interact with people and perform our day-to-day tasks. We enjoy ourselves more while chatting on whatsapp or commenting on facebook rather than telling the same thing to the other person in real.
There is no doubt that the brain develops in early childhood but its various parts keep on evolving with the passage of time and the type of exposure they comes across.
One of the neuroimaging studies revealed that frequent Internet users showed twice as much activity of brain compared to sporadic users. Digital technology is changing our brains and we don’t even realise when and how do we start doing the same things differently that we used to do without the help of technology.
One common scenario is talking on a mobile phone while driving that hinders brain activity associated with driving. We try to make ourselves believe that we could manage both things at the same time but in reality that is not the case. Technology can be destructive if not used appropriately!
Another instance could be scanning through the pages of a book, as opposed to reading it line by line. The internet has actually changed the way we read. Instead of consuming content in a linear fashion like earlier generations, our brains now scan for keywords and grab small bits of information.
Technology also affects the way we feel and react. The most typical example is the social media wherein people post exciting or disturbing things as a consequence of which we start feeling missing out or get upset.
Since it is inevitable to do without technology, the best we could do is to use it purposefully and protecting our brains from negatives. By being aware of the potential impact that technology can have on our thinking process, we can have peace of mind and reap the maximum out of technology.
I’ll leave you with the following video and let you ponder over the future of human brain under the influence of Technology.
Human Brain vs Technology
In case you have any queries or share feedback about technology and its effect on our brain, please leave a comment below and I would be glad to respond at my earliest.
Haider Khalid
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I’m confused! You mention studies but you don’t link to them or offer citations. What are these studies? I find it bizarre that they are not specified — what’s the point of writing about them if you don’t say who actually did the studies?
Great job of reviewing current research on the role technology plays in developing or impacting our brains.
I really like the fact that you included a TED Talks reference.
Thank you for sharing your discoveries about technology.
Thanks, Susan. I am glad that you liked it 🙂