In the past decade, we’ve seen technology integrate into human life as more and more of a necessity and less as an accessory. The rise of smartphones, tablets and social media have created a link between humans and their devices greater than ever before. While these technological advances have given people the resources to do many different things, it has also created a reliance on them.
For example, before phones and the internet, if a person wanted to find an answer to a question, one would ask around or go find the answer in the library. After putting in the effort to discover the right piece of information, that person would surely be likely to remember it. Well in this day and age, one can find the answer to a question in seconds on the internet, and while extremely helpful, it creates a dependence on our devices to remember knowledge.
Access to finding the answer at your fingertips involuntarily causes your mind to be a lot more forgetful of that information, and, thus, why people now rely on their devices a lot more for their information.
Another phenomenon that causes people to feel attached to their devices is social media tactics. People use social media to meet and connect with friends, view news and sports highlights and stay updated with the world around them. The problem lies in the fact that people rely on social media for brain stimulation and the way manufacturers have designed these apps are to intentionally hook users. Intentionally structuring social media apps to increase user screen time has made a significant number of teens addicted to their phones and has caused reliance on their devices to treat their boredom or keep their minds occupied. For more information on how this technology is designed to hook users, refer to the Social Dilemma documentary on Netflix.
According to an article published by Pyscom, people should be worried about the link between humans and technology. The study gathered information that, “50 percent of teens “feel addicted” to mobile devices, while 59 percent of parents surveyed believe that kids are addicted to their devices. This survey also showed that 72 percent of teens and 48 percent of parents feel the need to immediately respond to texts, social-networking messages and other notifications; 69 percent of parents and 78 percent of teens check their devices at least hourly.”
Also explained in the article, “5 percent of teens said they use the Internet ‘almost constantly,’ and another 44 percent said they go online several times a day. “
This goes to show that the problem of addiction to our devices exists, and we can all only imagine how much worse this reliance on technology has gotten during the pandemic. In current times, school and work, for most of the world, happens online through a screen, and now people are using their devices for almost all avenues of life. Many’s screen time on a daily basis has increased significantly, and the growing problem of dependence on technology has only gotten bigger and bigger.
Check out this extra resource on the link between us and our devices.
