Lately, a lot of talk about our dependence on gadgets. All day we sit on our smartphones and it seems that many have developed an irresistible desire for this electronic device. But let's try to look at this topic from the scientific side. A new study on the use of modern technology has shown that users of the most attractive smartphone functions have one theme in common: they use the human need to communicate with people around. The scientists' findings, published in the Frontiers in Psychology, show that reliance on gadgets is not antisocial but hypersocial.
There are many emotions and misconceptions related to this topic, says Samuel Veissière, professor of psychiatry at McGill University in Canada. But he and his colleagues are trying to rethink what happened to the gadget and show the positive aspects of today's process. Yes, our desire for communication, human interaction is addictive, but this is a long-known experience and there are quite a few simple solutions to overcome this.
Surely many of you have acquaintances who seem unable to live without a bright screen from your phone, they do not put it off, they always match someone and check what they say. Staying even in no time without their gadgets for them means experiencing discomfort. From the outside, such behavior seems really antisocial, is not it? People around them are offended in real life, trying to draw attention to this problem. The public discusses the dangers of smartphones (especially for children) and there are calls to manufacturers to start with this fight. But here's another side - because someone is communicating on social networks, just with other people - those who really interest him.
Professor Weissier, who specializes in cognitive anthropology, studies the evolution of knowledge and culture of human society, explains in his material that the desire to observe (and even spy) and try to control others while also controlling the attention of others, comes from the depths of our lives . People's past has evolved as a unique social species and requires constant reactions from their families to guide them in their acceptable cultural behavior.
It is also a way to discover the meaning of the individual, the purpose of his life, and also to identify himself in the team, in society.
Together with his colleague Moriah Stendel (Moriah Stendel) Weissier analyzes existing scientific papers on the use of dysfunctional new intelligent technology through the prism of evolutionary ideas. Their conclusion is short and simple: the most compelling smartphone features are based on the same thing - they capitalize on the human desire to communicate with others.
However, do not think that if this is based on our needs, then there is nothing wrong with it. While modern devices use healthy desires for human socialization scales gipersvyaznosti encourages the brain, a burdensome system of remuneration, which sometimes leads to pathological addiction. The brain is constantly in need of new approval parts, like. answer. And if there is no reaction, a painful mental state can occur.
In a post-industrial society where food is plentiful and accessible, our primitive desires for fat and sugar, inherited from the ancestors, are easily transformed into chewy. As a result, seemingly healthy needs are shaped by evolution for individual survival, leading to overdose of excess weight, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Likewise, oversaturating social needs with smartphones, used as a means to connect to a network, can also cause problems for a person. Scene maniacs are being created in hipersocial monitoring theaters. To get a positive permanent brain impulse, the person needs to be constantly in the mind, constantly being discussed, and if this does not happen - then the whole of the whole emotion and negative experience arises.
To avoid overdosage, you need to create a policy to use your gadget (same goes for children). Turning off popup notifications, choosing the right time to check for new messages, temporarily disable your phone - all these can significantly help eliminate dependence on smartphones. Studies show that employers' policies limit the use of smartphones in the workplace, social network disabling, unrelated correspondence restrictions and at the same time recommendation not to work with official correspondence on weekends and at night is also important - it helps avoid excessive desire for gadgets.
"Instead of starting to encourage smartphone manufacturers to make changes to their models and expanding panic in the media about the dangers of gadgets, we need to start talking about appropriate ways to use the latest technology.We need to develop a practical approach to how to use the device, with the amount of time spent by screen, "concludes Professor Weissier. A smartphone is just an instrument, like a knife that can do useful work and loss, and it can also help work efficiently and live life, which is positive for social connections, and can cause problems.
First of all, parents and teachers should have complete information about this, because the child's soul is still formed and it is impossible to allow the creation of pathological dependencies. But they have to live in the real world with real people around, and not with cyberspace. Or not anymore? ;-)