Good And Negative Effects Of Technology

There is no denying digital and internet technologies have had an incredible effect on our world. But what about their effects on on our mind? Of course, the question is rather loaded considering the newness of certain digital/internet technologies. A simple answer of how “technology equals good” or “bad” for our minds proves to be misleading, at least in the short term. Certainly the answer varies depending on the specifics of the technology employed, how it is employed, and by whom. Thus the following will conduct a brief survey of different analyses of human being’s relationship to the new technologies in their lives, giving a glimpse into the pro’s and con’s of such relations. Champeau notes that “for computer-savvy middle-aged and older adults, searching the Internet triggers key centers in the brain that control decision making and complex reasoning” (Champeau, 2008). Is this effect necessarily good or bad? As the author goes on to note …show more content…
While one may be more inclined to gather information in a fairly care-free manner, and while they may be inclined to process information in a superficial way as well, there are still other (perhaps) more positive effects of such technology on one’s mental capacities, as well. While, on the one hand, too much exposure to too much information may hinder our ability to process information and solve problems, “technology trains the brain to be nimble and to process new ideas quickly...We become more open to new ideas, and communicate more freely and frequently” (Barseghian, 2011). Furthermore, the practice of searching for information on the internet may actually help improve things like short term memory and short term (rather than long term) information processing (Barseghian, 2011). But again, the effects of such technology on the brain cannot be viewed in such a one-sided manner whether pro or