The last few decades have witnessed a dramatic and heightened evolution of technological advancements. Our lives are surrounded by gadgets designed to boost connectivity, conveniences, and comforts.
Technology defines our lifestyles and life quality from smartphones and smart gadgets to cloud computing and the internet.
The last two years have witnessed rapid technology integration as millions were left homebound in the wake of a deadly pandemic. Today, we live in a world that demands tech-savviness to work, communicate, shop, and enjoy modern life quality. This increasing reliance on digital technologies will impact our behavior and psychological health.
Keep reading to explore how the digital world affects and alters human behavior.
Shaping Thought Processes & Behaviors
Working, communicating, and shopping in the online realm has profoundly impacted human thought processes and behaviors. A significant chunk of our daily lives and interactions occurs in the digital realm, demanding that we stay glued to our devices. We feverishly check out emails and social media notifications in fear of missing out on trends, happenings, and news.
Digital technologies have changed how we interact with people, find and pursue employment opportunities, and find entertainment avenues to de-stress. Adults, teenagers, and children prefer digital entertainment and interactions over in-person meetings and exploring the great outdoors. Psychologists and researchers unravel how digital accessibility and information alter our thought processes and behaviors.
Suppose you’re a budding psychologist fascinated by the impact of digital evolution on human behavior. In that case, you should consider pursuing a master’s degree in cyberpsychology to equip yourself with scientific research tools and skills. As the name implies, cyberpsychology is a branch dedicated to understanding the psychological impacts of digital technologies and interactions.
Digital technologies profoundly impact how we think and make decisions by providing volumes of information with a few simple clicks. Digital interactions impact our physical and mental wellbeing, but the advantages make us blind to the drawbacks. It’s pertinent to note that living in the digital world makes us vulnerable to misinformation that spreads anxiety and stress.
Psychological researchers are responsible for raising awareness of the ill effects of digital interactions and experiences to protect human wellbeing. Pursuing a master’s program in cyberpsychology will help further your research agendas with peer collaborations, scientific resources, and advanced knowledge.
Shortened Attention Spans
Do you feel impatient and annoyed while waiting for a web page to load properly, almost pushed to switch to another website? Do the horrid YouTube ads that play automatically between streaming videos make you want to smash your laptop screen? More importantly, do you find it hard to concentrate on the same activity for longer than an hour? You’re not alone, for decreasing attention spans is a worldwide concern shared by millions of tech-savvy people.
A recent study reveals that the human attention span has decreased to 8 seconds, significantly less than that of a goldfish. This shortening attention span stems from the numerous distractions that digital technologies have provided us to stay engaged. We can browse through hundreds of photographs on Instagram, play games, watch videos, and play music with a few simple clicks.
Our devices have us captivated by the hunt to find entertaining and interactive experiences, shortening our attention spans and tolerance for boredom. This shortening attention span encourages us to tune out from essential conversations, meaningful moments, and critical work-related meetings. We cannot tolerate boredom and monotony, for the digital devices in our pockets are tempting us to stay engaged and entertained.
Making Important Decisions
Suppose you need to buy a new smartphone or a precious gift for your partner. The digital world has transformed how we make decisions by providing us with vast information. What is the first thing you will do to facilitate the decision-making process? You will open Google to access reliable information about the best products and price ranges and explore video reviews.
Whether you want to find a job, have a nice meal, or find the nearest gas station – you will turn to the internet for information. The human race has abandoned the reliance on its gut instinct, shifting to digital tools to gather information and knowledge. Technology defines how we make decisions by empowering us with readily-available information.
Building Relations & Social Connections
We interact, communicate, form friendships, and fall in love online, shifting our social interactions to the digital realm. The advent of video communication features has made social media more attractive, almost eliminating the need for in-person meetings. And even when we get together with our family and friends, we spend the time staying glued to our smartphones.
Sharing our images and lives on social media makes us vulnerable to stalkers, criminals, and mentally unstable individuals. It’s time to pause and think: are we truly emotionally invested in the relationships we develop online? More importantly, are these relationships safe and healthy for our physical and mental wellbeing?
More importantly, the pressure to share a glamorous lifestyle with glitzy filters induces stress, anxiety, and depression. Social media interactions profoundly impact our self-esteem, confidence, stress levels, and overall emotional wellbeing.
Final Thoughts
As we head towards far more dramatic digital advancements and integrations, it’s time to reassess our lifestyles. Psychologists and researchers continue to alert us about the adverse impacts of digital interactions and experiences. We cannot allow digital devices and technologies to eliminate all experiences that make human life meaningful and impactful. It’s time to create a healthy balance and tune out from devices to experience the joy of human connections.
