Technology on the Brain
Technology plays a vital role in the public arena today. It promotes collaboration and provides various platforms through which people can communicate and stay connected. Today, every family is in a passion of a computer, laptop, cell phone, tablet, and a TV, among other technological devices. We are living at a time when innovative advances are on the rise, and technology has become a basic segment of day-to-day life. Specifically, it has become uncommon to see children and teenagers without any advanced gadgets. The pace at which children and young adults are embracing technology into their everyday lives has become a matter of concern owing to the fact that it can have severe effects on their development. Although technology has impacted our lives positively, its excessive use can have negative impacts on a young person’s brain, speech, and can cause social isolation.
The use of technology can potentially lead to social isolation among users. Despite its role in bringing people together, technology replaces genuine correspondence and ends in social isolation. Instead of a face-to-face meeting, technology has enabled conferences to be held over Skype, and children can communicate through social media platforms, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn. The use of Lifesize’s video conferencing technology as well as the phone cloud solution has significantly increased the efficiency and in turn reduced the lay time in face-to-face meetings (Greenblatt). It has been noted that the pattern of cell phone use has increased considerably, putting the teenagers at risk of developing psychological problems (Ladika 46). Excessive use of cell phones, tablets, and other devices can potentially lead to behavioral addiction, which can introduce a hazard factor to one’s psychological well-being (Ladika 54). In a study conducted by a Ball State University, a majority of Americans spend a minimum of 8.5 hours per day looking at screens (Greenblatt). Not only does this show how much people depend on technology, it also shows how much they’d rather be looking at a screen than enjoying real life. The human brain needs some downtime to solidify experiences and turn them into permanent memory, but the constant stimulation of the brain is preventing this process (Greenblatt). According to scientists, cellphones can make people feel bereft and miserable. This kind of dejection can possibly lead to depression (Siddiqui and Ali 63). The fixation of technology can adversely affect the scholarly achievement of the learners and their capacity to communicate successfully in person. An examination analyzing understudies at Stetson University found the individuals who routinely utilized social media sites would, in general, feel as if their friends were more fruitful and more joyful than they were (Ladika 61). This shows that the very apparatuses that can help decrease emotional wellness issues might be associated with psychological distress.
The increase in online networking has completely changed the manner in which we communicate with one another. Regardless of whether through PCs, cell phones, Wi-Fi, or upgraded 4G remote systems, we are more connected to our peers than ever. Although this communication growth has been lauded for its educational advantages, other scholars argue that the growth of communication technology has affected people’s ability to write appropriately. For instance, texting or messaging promotes the use of abbreviations such as wat rather than what or brb rather than be right back. These text-based abbreviations are increasingly appearing in formal composition (Cullington 463). Besides, school goers use messaging so regularly, thus weakening their ability to focus on a task in their classes. The National Center for Education states that out of all high school seniors, only 25% of them are ‘proficient’ writers. (Cullington 463). Students require strong reading and writing skills to be successful in the realm of businesses, our upcoming generation being raised without these skills is setting them up for failure. Students are unlabeled you spell or properly convey ideas in writing, and these abbreviated shorthand messages are to blame. Many teachers believe that textese is so natural to their students that they don’t even realize when they’re doing it (Cullington 464). Texting does not stress the importance of punctuation like commas or apostrophes, this affects students’ formal writing. This has become so common that teachers have to remind their students to write in complete sentences and use proper sentence structure (Cullington 464). Although textspeak has not fully taken over students’ ability to write formally, it has hindered their skills and understanding of writing efficiently. Writing practices conducted in American schools reveal that technologies such as the internet, messaging, and social media lead to negative behavior patterns like utilizing casual language in formal composition and plagiarizing. It was also discovered that these students face challenges with long readings and form complex exposition (Greenblatt). Despite the fact that communication technology has brought the world an efficient way to connect, it also puts verbal communication and writing abilities at risk.
While the overuse of cellphones shows a link to social and mental issues, various scholars argue that the studies conducted on this concept are insufficient, and much more research is required before conclusions can be reached (Dijk et al. 19). Although that is an accepted fact, the evidence and findings collected currently are worth examining. More research might be needed to come to a definitive conclusion, but the connection is shown between technology, and mental health is significant to mental health counselors and necessary for effective practice. Many technology users also argued that technology enables social life as it is an instrument interaction, and communication in ways that were not possible before. (Greenblatt) Although that is true, technology that allows access to the virtual world like, smartphones and social media can be addictive, which can cause social isolation. (Ladika 61) Some authors also argue that texting improves the youth’s capacities in dialect, and it may improve their language structure capacities in spoken language (Dijk et al. 41). On the other hand, texting affects the youths’ ability to develop a proper composition. Moreover, it should be noted that the professional world requires complex writing and comprehension. To be successful in professional arenas, students must have the ability to make decisions and solve problems, with the knowledge acquired from reading and writing (Goldman). The youth having impressive spoken language does not mean that they have the required skills and assets for intensive reading and writing too (Dijk et al. 46). Students need to have comprehensive skills, complex reasoning, and knowledge to meet the literacy demands of this century (Goldman). Children may learn to speak in proper sentences faster through technology, but it can also hinder their ability to focus through long readings and writing well-structured essays.
Initially made to serve mankind, computerized technology has likewise uncovered their unsafe effect on our lives. Technology like cellphones, video games, and the internet, among others, have a negative impact on mental health and lead to social isolation. Research shows that technology like smartphones and social media can be addictive, this addiction can cause a person to potentially lose experience depression and isolate themselves from the outside world. The internet is endless and it is shown to have negative effects on the brain. Not only can technology affect one’s mental health and social life, it can also affect one’s literacy capacity. Abbreviations used in texting affect students’ complex writing skills. Despite the dispute of not having enough evidence to draw conclusions, and that technology is beneficial to the youth. There is still a significant disposition to be considered that indicates otherwise. Many students are not reaching the basic levels of reading competency and are not prepared to meet the twenty first centuries writing demands. There are many positives to technology that are much appreciated, but the negatives cannot be ignored and to be attention to.
Work Cited
Culligton, Michaela. “Does Texting Affect Writing” They Say / I Say with Readings, edited by Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst, 3rd ed., W.W. Norton, 2017.
Dijk, Chantal, N., et al. “The Influence of Texting Language on Grammar and Executive Functions in Primary School Children.” PLoS One, vol. 11, no. 3, 2016. ProQuest, https://login.proxy189.nclive.org/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1777534228?accountid=15152, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0152409.
Greenblatt, Alan. “Impact of the Internet on Thinking.” CQ Researcher, 24 Sept. 2010, pp. 773-96, library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2010092400.
Ladika, Susan. “Technology Addiction.” CQ Researcher, 20 Apr. 2018, pp. 41-64, library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2018042000.
Siddiqui, Maryam, and Amena Z. Ali. “Addictive Cell Phone Usage: The Relationship Between Impulsiveness and Behavioral Addiction.” Pakistan Journal of Psychology, vol. 46, no. 2, 2015. ProQuest, https://login.proxy189.nclive.org/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1891725897?accountid=15152.
Taylor, Paul. “The importance of information and communication technologies (ICTs): An integration of the extant literature on ICT adoption in small and medium enterprises.” International journal of economics, commerce and management 3.5 (2015).