HL - Technology

Digital dementia

overindulgence on the internet causes cognitive impairments: reduced attention span as we train our brains to focus for only short periods, and reduced working memory capacity also because of these short-form videos
Some other cognitive explanations for this include:

cognitive offloading: the act of using technology to perform mental tasks, requires reduced cognitive effort which weakens our natural thinking abilities. This reduces WM capacity as theres a reduced need to use cognitive effort to rehearse information as we know its safely stored online.

extraneous variables: reduces attention span as we don't spend sustained attention on one task.

In relation to the MSM, to move information from the sensory store to the STS we need to pay attention, but impaired attention span reduces this. Also, memory conolidation from STS to LTS requires rehearsal, which requires cognitive effort but cognitive offloading means we feel we dont need to rehearse as we can find information online

But if technology increases our cognitive engagement its good

Negative effects of social media on mental health

Social comparison (SC) theory: we evaluate ourselves through comparison with others

Upward SC: comparing yourself to someone better - reduces self esteem

Downward SC: comparing yourself to someone worse - boosts self esteem

Lateral SC: comparing yourself to someone similar

Also been linked to the rise in anxiety issues. Social media causes FOMO, anxiety that you’re missing out on an opportunity others are enjoying, which causes people to spend more tiime on social media to make sure they don’t miss out on the social event. Also it has led to nomophobia, anxiety of no contact with phone

When we post online, we feel a social-evaluative threat as we fear we may be judged

Benefits of technology to mental health

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET): a type of exposure therapy from CBT where an individual is exposed to the anxiety-inducing stimulus. It can help with PTSD, symptoms commonly include feeling startled. This is a form of classical conditiong called fear conditioning where the patient has learned to associate a neutral stimulus with an aversive stimulus, causing the startled response. E.g. war veteran gets conditioned to associate loud bangs with gunshots rather than maybe construction. VRET can help with this through ‘fear extinction:’ consistent exposure to the fear-inducing stimulus at a safe environment.

Tele-therapy: mental health treatment is delievered through the internet e.g. betterhelp

Technology and addiction

Videogames and social media causes us to have an expectation for rewards, which hence releases dopamine as we are working towards the goal. E.g. new level, more likes. With excessive use, the brain may become less responsive to natural rewards, which drives people back to technology for their dopamine hits → addiction.