The pocket-size computers we call smartphones are probably the single greatest invention
of my life, but are they going to make me dumber????
… Hang on, I'll google it and find out.
phone addicts [[greet and welcome]] We use our cell phones for everything.
They’re increasingly becoming extensions of our brains; they're a place to store information
you don't want to have to remember.
In 2002, the Nobel Prize for Economics went to a Psychologist for a paper describing the
two kinds of thinkers in this world, analytical and intuitive; and now a new study from Computers
in Human Behavior says our tendency to rely on our smartphones might be screwing over
the intuitive thinkers among us…
Intuitive thinkers rely on gut feelings or intuition to make a decision; while analytical
thinkers, analyze the problem, second-guess themselves and THINK through the decision
first.
According to this new study, intuitive thinkers tend to use search engines rather than their
own brainpower, they look up information they already KNOW to avoid thinking about it, even
briefly.
For example: when asked what actor was in that one movie, intuitive thinkers would either
immediately search for it, analytical would search their memories for what they know.
There are advantages to both types of thinking… but this new research says the intuitive people
using their search functions more might be less intelligent!
They tested 660 participants and gave them intuitive and analytical tasks to complete,
and allowed them to use their cell phones.
Heavy smartphone use was associated with lowered intelligence, in their results.
They called them lazy thinkers.
Lazy thinking, cognitive easing or being a cognitive miser, is incredibly common.
It essentially describes our disinterest in the effort of thinking.
We want to believe we the great human is constantly churning through information, but we're animals,
and thinking burns energy.
Too save that energy, we take mental shortcuts and offload information,.
It's an evolutionary way to conserve resources.
THINKING IS HARD.
This is known, human brains only have so much power, and thinking takes a lot of it, popular
websites design themselves to be intuitive, to reduce the "cognitive load," allowing you
to enjoy their content and spend more time.
The problem is, our brains are plastic -- or moldable.
As we learn things, our brain changes.
We create new neural pathways and reshape our thinking processes.
As we age, our neuroplasticity gets worse.
Ideally, we'd fill our lives with varied and colorful experiences -- not just like vacations
and social activities, but building, learning, working, running, and playing too!
These make our brain better, and create a better foundation for aging.
Processing all this information elsewhere, on the other hand, might have adverse consequences
for aging.
Think about what that could mean...
NO, ACTUALLY THINK!
I'm not going to tell you… (ugh) FINE.
Think Alzheimer's or other brain degradation disorders, forgetfulness and the inability
to recall information.
That's bad.
Whether our brains are getting worse because of the Internet or Video Games is as old as
the technology themselves, and it's same debate for television and radio; but our tendency
to avoid THINKING is a different facet.
It's like cheating on every test in school.
If you got all the answers from someone else, what could you DO when you graduated?
Other than go get answers from someone else?
It's compelling to think about!
Do you think cell phones are affecting our thinking?
Would you rather search than think?
Try NOT searching for things and let me know how
it goes.