Too Much Technology - #letmetakeaselfie

 

 

Too Much Technology
#theselfiegeneration
by Stacie Lawrence
The Multitasking - or Millennial Generation,
aka generation M (Wallis, 2006) -
is a generation whose
baby “selfie”
was likely posted,
tweeted, blogged, and Instagram’d all
before the infant took a second breath.




"Millennials are digital natives!

— the only
generation for
which” the
Internet, mobile
technology, and
social media
“are not
something
they’ve had to
adapt to.”

This is not only the generation of the self;

it’s the generation of the selfie.

(Blow, 2014).

#vintageselfies

But wait, selfies actually date back to the 1800's!

At the turn of the twentieth century, seflies
were among millions by amateur
photographers all over the world.
 (Technology, 2013)

Results from research regarding the impact of gadgets on our brains...including the effect of multitasking... show what most of us know implicitly:
 if you do two things at once, both efforts suffer.

Does the mere
possibility of being interrupted 
by a phone call or an email drain      
your brain?

And does
distraction
matter — does
multitasking
make us dumber?

"The distraction of an interruption, combined with the brain drain of preparing for that interruption, made our test takers 20 percent dumber. 
That’s enough to turn a B-minus student (80 percent) into a failure (62 percent)."
(Sullivan and Thompson, 2013)

"People who are busy doing two things at once

don’t even see obvious things right in front of them."

"Specifically, 75% of college students who walked across a campus square while talking on
their cell phones did not notice a clown riding a unicycle nearby."

Researchers
call this
"inattentional
blindness."

"Even if we are technically looking at our surroundings,

none of it is actually registering in our brains."

Research also shows that
multitasking is
not as efficient as we think!

...IN FACT it is harmful to our health!

...And our relationships!

It’s hurting your relationships

“This is an area where I think multitasking has a much bigger effect than most people realize,” says Winch. “A couple is having a serious talk and the wife says ‘Oh, let me just check this message.’ Then the husband gets mad, and then he decides to check his messages,

and communication just shuts down.” (MacMillen, 2014)

"The effects of technology on children are complicated, with both benefits and costs. Whether technology helps or hurts in the development of your children’s thinking depends on what specific technology is used and how and what frequency it is used."
(Taylor, 2012)

We need to re-think the way we live our life!

#toomuchtechnology

CREDITS


Blow, C. (2014). The Self[ie] Generation. NY Times. 
< http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/08/opinion/blow-the-self-ie-generation.html>
accessed March 2014.


MacMillin, A. (2014). Health Magazine. 12 Reasons to Stop Multitasking Now. (2014). <http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20707868,00.html>
accessed March 2014.


Technology.  (2013). Old Selfies Dating Back to 1800.
< http://www.news.com.au/technology/these-old-selfies-dating-back-to-the-1800s-will-blow-your-mind/story-e6frfro0-1226741497253>
accessed February 2104.


Sullivan, B. and Hugh Thompson. (2013). Brain, Interupted. NY Times.
< http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/05/opinion/sunday/a-focus-on-distraction.html?_r=0>
accessed March 2014.


Taylor, J. (2012) "The Power of Prime: How Technology is Changing the Way
Children Think and Focus". Psychology Today. December 4, 2012.
< http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-power-prime/201212/how-technology-is-changing-the-way-children-think-and-focus>
accessed February 2014.


Wallis, C. (2006) “The Multitasking Generation”. Time Magazine. March 19, 2006. <http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1174696,00.html>
accessed March 2014.

Book Review: Youth and Internet Addiction in China

Review by Jonathan


There are a lot of books out there about technology and internet addiction.  When I saw this book about Chinese internet addiction it caught my eye because these problems do not just affect people in the United States, but anywhere where technology is increasing in people’s lives.  This was an interesting read.  I kind of did not want to read it at first, but it is written in an interesting way and it helped keep my attention going. 

The book starts out with a researcher talking about his experience of going into the world of Chinese game playing and internet cafés.   When a researcher places themselves into a situation to research it firsthand this is called ethnographic research.  The researcher interviewed people as he went about playing games and also going to various places that help people with internet addiction problems.  He gives examples of parents drugging their children and taking them to rehab facilities so they will break their addictions and focus on school, homework, and their future.

The main point that the author wants to make is that from his research internet addiction in China was mostly caused by the poor relationships from parents or parent figures.  These poor relationships caused the children to turn to fictional games and friends on the internet that were more supportive and nicer than their parents appeared to be. 

The book is backed up by the research of the author and his firsthand account of people he interviewed.  He goes through a quite thorough analysis of the psychological definition from the DSM-IV on internet addiction and how this does not quite fit with what problems they see with children and internet addiction.  He goes on to look at an altered definition that aligns with his research based on a humanistic model.

I think that the author does a good job writing and informing through his examples and experiences that he shares.  His research may not translate so much to the entire world.  It may be that in China children are using the internet as an escape and that may be true in the United States as well, but there still seems to be evidence that there is addictive behavior caused by the internet and it is not just a social problem.  

Overall I liked the book for how easy it was to read and for the interesting look at internet addiction.  I would recommend it for an interesting read, but I would take caution to accepting all the conclusions of the author.

Reference:
Bax, Trent (2013). Youth and Internet Addiction in China. Retrieved from http://www.eblib.com

Just for fun!

 A couple of my favorite home videos - 

enlightening for me to recognize that I have

been "that" mom - the one with a camera in her kids face their whole life. ;)

This first video is my oldest son, age 19 now,

video is from 1996ish...

The video that was created using a HUGE VHS

 machine that sat quite largely on my shoulder

(not even sure I have a picture of the GRAND invention)

-- trust me it was ginormous. 

I recorded the video onto a digital version using a VHS/Television 

and my first digital video camera,

and tonight recorded this clip using my iPad off of our family blog

at the service of my 12 year old with a steady hand. 

#toomuchtechnology

 involved!

"ogurt on my owebries"

How did he know I
would

'want to get a picture of dat?'

okay...♥

  He knew what a camera in his face meant.

The next video (below) is the previously mentioned now 12 year old with the steady hand. 
The technology I used for this was my first digital camera -
(also a very large version!)  I think the lens stuck out 9 inches!!  

Both videos are grainy in their natural habitat -

thus it doesn't help to take them from one device to another. 

You can see the original version on Facebook using the following link -

"Mommy, play this game with me!"

 again...

#toomuchtechnology

Thanks for watching!



For more ideas on how to fill your technology free time visit:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/16/things-you-can-do-without_n_4937255.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

Book Review: Parenting Well in a Media Age

I didn’t know what to expect before reading this book because I’ve never read a book about parenting.  I’ve taken a lot of parenting classes at the University though so I’ve felt pretty educated about parenting subjects.  The book Parenting Well in a Media Age, by Gloria DeGaetano, discusses the parenting challenges that face parents today as a result of our industry-generated culture.  She mostly discusses children spending too much time watching TV, but also takes into account music, and video games.  She does not address social networking much. 

What I really liked about this book was that DeGaetano gives references from research as well as relatable examples.  My favorite parts of the book was when she gives specific examples of what to say and how to talk to your child that will help him/her grow in that essential need.  These examples are also separated into ages; so she gives examples on how to talk to your toddler, middle-aged child, and teenager.  She also gives specific example of activities to do with your child of specific ages as well. 

One part of the book that really spoke to me was when DeGaetano discussed creative thinking in children and image making. She said that children, “Are limited to thinking in the images that the media has provided for them,” (DeGaetano, 2004, 9).  She explained that in drawing, or writing stories, children could not think up their own characters or plots: they could only think about a super hero that they have seen on TV.  That was surprising for me how much television can really limit a child’s creativity and motivated me to use other methods to spark my toddler’s creativity. 

After reading the book I decided to try to have the television on less at my house. According to DeGaetano, this can help increase, “A loving parent-child bond, a rich inner life, the capacity for image-making, the ability for creative expression, and participating as a contributor,” (DeGaetano, 2004, 56).  While having the television off at my house I noticed a lot of things.  I am extremely guilty of letting my toddler watch shows while I put my infant down for a nap or feed her.  It is easy and quiet.  It was fun to see what my son was able to come up with to do on his own while I fed her. I saw his imagination sparking and saw how his own ideas were flowing through his head.  One surprising thing that I noticed was that I was more patient with him and he was more patient with me while the TV was off in our house.  Tyler was more willing to wait for me to play with him while I finished doing a household chore, than if he was waiting while watching a TV show.  The best part was that I could see a difference in our parent-child bond when we were able to spark conversations and talk more about feelings than we would if we had a show on.  DeGaetano discusses the importance of a face-to-face interaction when trying to increase a parent-child bond.

I would recommend reading this book for any parent because it has great ideas for alternatives to television for all ages of children.  These ideas are well in line with the research I have read for my other three blog posts.  She writes in a very relatable way and doesn’t write in a way that condemns parents for allowing their children to watch television.  TV is going to be an inevitable part of people’s lives and she explains why taking it in moderation can benefit families.  She empowers parents in taking the initiative to limit their children’s television usage. 

DeGaetano, Gloria. Parenting Well in a Media Age: Keeping Our Kids Human. Fawnskin, CA: Personhood, 2004. Print.

Pass it on!

Love and Logic Institute, Inc.

Complex skill of the day:
1) Put electronic device down
2) Look at your child & smile
3) Have a response ready when they ask why you're being weird

Distracted? Help is available!!

Book Review by Stacie Lawrence

Distracted: The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Age

Excerpts from my review of Maggie Jacksons book Distracted:

Jackson writes that television (and other technology/media) is contributing 

to children being less able to engage in focused play, 

suggesting that television is contributing 

to more individuals with the characteristics of 

attention-deficient children.  

She states even "parents are ...distracted, interacting 20 percent less with their kids and relating passively" and that "more than half of children ages eight to eighteen live in homes where the TV is on most of the time." (Jackson, 73)

All this and more ....reading Distracted by Maggie Jackson! 

What did others have to say?
In writing the Forward to this book Bill McKibben discusses his awareness of distractions in his life.

He states: "Distraction has always been a human condition". (Jackson, 9)  "This book, remarkable impressive both for its wealth of detail and the clarity of its synthesis, forces our attention on that inattention." (Forward, Bill McKibben in Jackson, 10)

Jackson herself says that she did not set out to write a book on attention. She "was curious why so many Americans are deeply dissatisfied with life, feeling stressed" (Jackson, 25), and that "more than half typically have to juggle too many tasks simultaneously and/or are so often interrupted that they find it difficult to get work done (Jackson, 17, from Galinsky). 

What did I get from reading Maggie Jackson's book?

With the ease of technology we have a lot of wonderful benefits, but also we find ourselves slacking or lacking in significant areas.  The immediate gratification of an instant message, an email alert, a snap chat - a "like" on Facebook - takes our attention from things that matter most.  Like Bill McKibben noticed after reading the book Distracted, I too have been much more aware of the things that shouldn't matter taking precedence over those things that do.  If I am so concerned about the number of notifications that add up to whether I am "liked" enough than I am losing sight of the things that I sincerely like - my family, my friends, my peace (and quiet) of mind!  

This book made me think about those things more.

The final word!

In the final chapter titled The Gift of Attention Jackson asks "Can attention be trained?" (254).  She summarizes that it is in how we pay attention.  "Splitting one's focus between a work project and one's child demotes both to half a priority each".  This single statement makes me, as a parent, want to focus my attention on what matters most.

Jackson defines distraction using the Oxford English Dictionary:  

"drawing away (of the mind of thoughts) from one point or course to another; diversion of the mind or attention, usually in the adverse sense." (Jackson, 259).  

She goes on to say that "attention is not always within our control" but that to reverse the adverse effects of inattention and distraction "we must understand, strengthen, and lastly value attention." 

With the examples, the research, the stories shared, and the attention to detail, Maggie Jackson writes an informative text that will help you to evaluate distractions in your own life, 
and more important, to recognize what you value more. 

If you, or someone you know, is Distracted - you don't want to miss this great literary experience!

PS:  While looking into this book I came across this blog post written by the author herself, Maggie Jackson.  
Here is a link to Encyclopedia Britannica and the post titled:  Multitasking, the problem: Distracted and Dangerous.

Pretty interesting stuff! 

Leave us a comment below if you have read the book before

 or if you have a question or insight about what you have learned from our reviews.

Book Reference:  Jackson, M. (2009). Distracted. The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Ages. Prometheus Books. Amherst, New York.

Additional reference:  Galinsky, E. et al., Overwork in America:  When the Way We Work Becomes Too Much. (New York:  Families and Work Institute, 2005), pp 2-4

Find more reviews on our Book Reviews Link 
including a review by Stephanie Stevens on the book  Cyber Junkie!

Technology - Don't Let It Ruin Your Life

 

Here is a fun video my wife and I made about too much technology.

Hi-Tech Relationships: What is Lost?

Here’s the YouTube video I made which basically shows negative affects of computer mediated communication and how technology is affecting personal relationships.  I believe many people don’t understand some of the consequences that come from using Facebook as a way to connect with others.  Some of the drawbacks of computer mediated communication include:

• ·      Too much performance
• ·      Time consuming, addicting
• ·      Overly personal through disclosure
• ·      Overly impersonal, being open to all
• ·      Takes away from face-to-face relationships
• ·      Losing interpersonal skills
• ·      Misunderstanding from lack of nonverbal communication
• ·      Distractions and ambient awareness
• ·      Authenticity of relationships (Cummings, 2013)

Stephen Benson says, “Postmodern man does not participate in face-to-face collaboration, and is impoverished as a result,” (Benson, 1998).

The video is a bit long, but the people in the interviews mention many of these drawbacks.  Each person comes from a different point of view, but they seem to feel generally the same way about the unintended consequences of connecting through technology.  The entire video is worth watching!

Benson, Stephen P. "Village People? The Net Generation." IEEE Communications Magazine 36.1 (1998): 32-35. Ebscohost. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. <http://ieeexplore.ieee.org.ezproxy.lib.utah.edu/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=649325>.

Cummings, Jennifer. "Computer Mediated Communication." University of Utah, Salt Lake City. 26 Sept. 2013. Lecture.

New Book Review

We have a new book review posted. Please go to our book review tab and learn about the exciting book of Cyber Junkie!

todays kids: the iGeneration

Studies are showing that

technology is changing the way that

 children are growing and developing. 

I came across a book that would be fascinating to read -

Rewired:  Understanding the iGeneration and the way they learn

 by Larry D. Rosen. 

"Look around at today´s youth and you can see how technology has changed their lives. They lie on their beds and study while listening to mp3 players, texting and chatting online with friends, and reading and posting Facebook messages." 

 



In the meantime I found an article in Psychology Today, adjunct professor Jim Taylor discusses How Technology is Changing the Way Children Think and Focus in his article  The Power of Prime -The cluttered mind uncluttered.   He states that technology "isn’t just affecting children on the surface of their thinking. Rather, because their brains are still developing and malleable, frequent exposure by so-called digital natives to technology is actually wiring the brain in ways very different than in previous generations.

What is clear is that, as with advances throughout history,

the technology that is available determines how our brains develops." 

He goes on to discuss that the amount of exposure to technology actually "conditions the brain to pay attention to information very differently than reading". 

And he argues that all technology is not bad and that it is not really making children more stupid, it is just making them different. 

Jessica asked a question in regards to how technology is changing the way children are growing up, in compared to her childhood - which consisted of playing outside in the dirt, eating and sleeping! 

Dr. Taylor says "The effects of technology on children are complicated, with both benefits and costs.

Whether technology helps

 or hurts

 in the development of your children’s thinking

 depends on what specific technology is used

 and how and what frequency it is used.

At least early in their lives, the power to dictate your children’s relationship with technology and, as a result, its influence on them, from synaptic activity to conscious thought." 

His bottom line is:

"What does all this mean for raising your children?

The bottom line is that too much screen time

 and not enough other activities,

such as reading,

playing games,

and good old unstructured and imaginative play,

 will result in your children

 having their brains wired

 in ways that may make them

less,

not more,

prepared

 to thrive in this crazy new world of technology."

 

 

 

So much of what Dr. Taylor presents in his article is important to me because I find myself quite concerned with the amount of technology and media that my children are being exposed to.  Gone are the days that ended with me dumping them in the tub to wash off the dirt from a day of outside play.  Children, mine included, are consumed by the buffet of media choices; social media to technology needed for their homework.  All aspects of their life seems to revolve around an on/off button; the off being rarely used. 

It concerns me as a parent that the more time they spend being wired to technology and media the less prepared they are to "thrive in this crazy new world of technology."  I absolutely agree with studies showing that the demands of technology on this generation is changing the way they develop and I would suggest even stunting their growth.  In a sense they sit at a buffet of media in a technological world and starve to death.

Taylor, J. (2012) "The Power of Prime: How Technology is Changing the Way Children Think and Focus". Psychology Today. December 4, 2012. <http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-power-prime/201212/how-technology-is-changing-the-way-children-think-and-focus> Accessed February 2014.

#redthumbreminder

Jonathan wrote about The Deadly Side of Technology.  It reminded me of seeing this.  I thought I would share it.  Link to the website below - or click on the picture for an article about the campaign!

LINK:  #redthumbreminder 

from the website:

"THE STORY:

Inspired by my daughter's technique of tying a piece of yarn around her finger to remember something for school, I decided to paint my thumbnail red so every time I picked up my phone from behind the wheel, all I would see was a big red thumb reminding me to put the phone away. As silly as it sounds, it totally worked. And now my hope is that it'll work for everyone else. One red thumbnail at a time."

 

The Deadly Side of Technology

 

Do you consider yourself a good driver? I usually do.  I have had a couple speeding tickets, but I have never been in a car accident.  I always use my turn signals, I always check my blind spot, and I try to avoid the crazy drivers around me.  The one thing that could get me in big trouble though is my cell phone.  I often talk on my cell phone and sometimes I even text.

With the growing abilities of cell phones to have texting, games, internet, and almost any app imaginable, there is a growing risk of people using cell phones behind the wheel.  The distraction potential is increasing every time we “take our eyes off the road, our hands off the wheel, and taking our mind off what we are doing”. In 2008 the United States Department of Transportation reported over a half-million people injured and almost six thousand people killed because of distracted driving. (Tarafdar, Gupta, Turel, 2013)  Our use of technology behind the wheel can be a very dangerous thing and many of us have a bias that we are good drivers and that we can multitask with our cell phones.  The scary reality is that we really cannot. 

Many states have been passing laws against texting and driving or driving without a hands free set due to all the accidents and fatalities that have been associated with cell phone use. Texting is very distracting because it takes our eyes off the road, a hand off the wheel, and our mind off our driving.  When I have texted while driving I have seen this and I have had some close calls because of it.

Texting and driving is bad, but is just talking on a cell phone driving really that bad? According to Professor David Strayer at the University of Utah drivers talking on their cell phones “are just as dangerous behind the wheel as drunk drivers.” I am not sure if everyone fits this description that talks and drives, but I have seen plenty of people driving crazy and when I pass them they are talking on their cell phones. (Tarafdar, Gupta, Turel, 2013) 

Cell phones behind while driving can be bad, but it is our choice whether to use them or not. If someone texts me when I am driving I usually try to text at stop lights or I try to just call the person. A good practice would be to not text at all and if we need to make a call make it very short.  Our best practice should probably be no texting while driving and no talking while driving

Tarafdar, M., Gupta, A. and Turel, O. (2013), The dark side of information technology use.

Information Systems Journal, 23: 269–275. doi: 10.1111/isj.12015 Accessed from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.lib.utah.edu/doi/10.1111/isj.12015/full

This commercial brought to you....

...because technology has it's affect

 on both the young...and the old!   

Cyber Children

The question was asked of how the cyber world can affect young children.  Now days a lot of moms are able to diminish tantrums by handing them their iPhones. I know more than a few children under 8 who have their own iPods, iPads, Tablets, etc.  The ever-growing cyber world is not just affecting young adults, but it extends from young children even at age one or two, to the elderly, who are being taught to use their new cell phones, or Facebook accounts. There is really no one who would deny that cyber addiction could actually occur in young children.  Kids don’t just have the opportunity to watch shows on T.V., getting addicted that way, they have more options than ever including phone games, computer/video games, social networking (for the older ones), Netflix, etc. 

When my son, Tyler was two, I got an iPhone.  At least half of the apps that I’ve downloaded have been for him.  There are endless apps for “toddler aged” kids.  After playing them just a few times, Tyler had already learned how to work my phone, turning it on, choosing between different games, and how to play each game.  At TWO! It’s really crazy how fast a child can learn how to work these devices. Any mom will admit it can be much easier at the grocery store, doctor’s office, or what have you, if you let the child play Angry Birds or Kids Doodle while waiting, ESPECIALLY if you have multiple children. 

There are beneficial opportunities through games, and the cyber world for children, including meeting friends and connecting for those who do not do well in social interactions. Unfortunately, there are many negative effects as well.  Kids can get addicted to their cyber world.  “A vicious cycle often takes hold:  people bereft opportunities for achievement and socializing in their lives, are drawn to the cyber world, and seemingly finding what they lack, become hooked.  The more they become hooked, the more they neglect friends, family and responsibility,” (Roberts 2010).  Cyber addiction can inhibit children in learning how to interact in social situations.  Playing too many video games, phone games, or computer time can cause children to have less social skills, and they can be, “Incredibly awkward in person,”  (Roberts, 2010).  Kevin Roberts, an academic coach, also found that, “Different learners come to me for help in school, and almost 90% of the time, their poor academic performance is accompanied by excessive cyber behaviors,” (Roberts 2010).  This shows that children’s spending too much time on the Internet, or playing on phones, is with no surprise, linked with low academic performance and trouble in school. 

In Robert’s article, he explains the importance of limiting children’s time in the cyber world.  To do this, he suggests linking cyber time to, “The completion of chores and other healthy activities that ensure your child has a balanced life,” (Roberts, 2010).  An example of this would be that a half an hour of riding a bike outside, or playing with their younger sibling, could be rewarded with a half an hour of playing a computer game.  An example of this for an older child would be game time coming after homework time, or after completing their chores.  Healthy activities can be rewarded with T.V. time, social networking time, phone time or whatever works for your child.  This can also work for adults, but you must have enough self-control to limit your own cyber time and monitor yourself. 

Bottom line: cyber addiction can affect kids of all ages and can have negative effects.  Try to be aware of children’s cyber time and limit it by encouraging a balanced lifestyle. 

Roberts, Kevin J. "Cyber Children: What Parents Need To Know." Exceptional Parent 40.4 (2010): n. pag. Ebscohost. Web. 20 Feb. 2014. <http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.utah.edu/ehost/detail?vid=3&sid=82aab60b-3e4b-490f-9568-19c916a17b1b%40sessionmgr4002&hid=4206&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=eft&AN=508180691>.