The Effects of Modern Technology

Name
Course
Tutor
Date
Effects of modern technology
Modern technology reduces attention. Attention is mainly resolute by the environment. Modern technology has created the world where our attention has been shifted to incredibly. Diversion has substituted consistent attention that seems to reduce our working memory. This creates a condition ADD/ADHD where most suffer from short attention and prone to easy distraction among more other symptoms. This is due to customization of our brains to a wide range of constantly shifting task provided by modern technology. This cause further demanding to neural resources as the brain has to get oriented to the new task. This constant switching also causes creates cognitive overload, making it hard for the brain to process and store the vast information as it exceeds brain ability to process and store it. (Bayrak,78).
Technology has changed our reading habits. This includes replacement of books with eBooks. Note taking with a book and pen has been replaced with taking notes with a note taking using laptop. This has negative impacts to general reading and understanding habit. Researches show that students with notes tend to read them less often than their counterparts who have their notes on paper (Mueller & Oppener, 2014). Their conceptual understanding also varies, showing that students who apply the laptop-note taking reading mode have less understanding and application of the information from the notes. This is explained by the suggestion that modern technology note taking methods are faster giving no time for the brain to listen, process and understand the written notes apparently lowering the retention of information.

Modern technology has replaced the deep reading method with skimming. Skimming that is highly favored by the modern internet learning leads to less understanding and retention of the information. The so seemed quick and easy method of catching main points has, however, negative impacts to the readers such that they absorb very of what is intended. This leads to loss of focus mostly when reading materials that require sustained focus. The preference of quick summaries readily available on the internet has led to less thorough reading that hold a major problem when the depth of understanding the subject in question (Börnstein et al., 234).
Modern technology has offered easily available electronic communication facilities and medium that has affected personal contact. This has seen a shift from face to face communication to virtual communication. Modern technology in the field of communication, overcoming the distance and cost among other communication barriers has led to it ruling the world. For example, one may prefer to text an important message to a friend or family if it is urgent and also confidential. At this time, another may prefer Skype to video talk to an overseas recipient as it is less costly and time effective when compared to traveling all the way to convey the same message. However, as it may seem technology has improved communication should not outweigh some of the negative impacts it has to society. People are becoming more addicted to communicating with families and friends using technology neglecting to engage personally. This decrease in face to face communication has led quality and quantity of information being communicated (Charness and Schaie, 89)
For the last 15 years or so, the internet has transformed from ordinary connections and interacting to strictly through computers, tablets, mobile phones and extra. Whether through laptops, ipads, increasingly-evolving smart phones or other mobile phones that are connected to the internet or still through internet-connected devices either at home or in offices, most of them which are connected to online all the time. Nowadays almost everybody is constantly checking their many e-mail accounts, peer -networking, chat accounts and peer networking on different social sites. Also, most people are always constantly texting and receiving constant messages either from co-workers, friends or families. It is even funny some people have become glued to chatting in that you can be in a meeting but the majority are headed down on their mobile phones just chatting, and only a small number is paying attention. There are some people who have developed social isolation by isolating themselves walking around in their little world, listening to their ipod or glued to the small screens of their smart phones. This leads to emotional distance in that when one is in social isolation maybe interacting with people who are in the distant geographical location through tweeter, Facebook, hangout and the likes. A research conducted by Professor Layne Hartsell at sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, Korea the internet communications indicates that continued online interaction has the possibility to adversely influence our social lives and how we interact. Layne explained this is a result of putting less worth to on human relationship and nearby interactions (Ehrentraut, Meissner, and Bockowski, 98).
Online deception is usually motivated by the special conditions of online communities. People usually feel more inclined to lie the more the far and less known they are to the deceives, these two factors hold for online. It is hard to detect lies online as communication is usually through texts. Social media has provided fresh environments and technologies for possible deceivers. Not everything should be believed on the social media as some people have been deceived and left with devastating effects to their individual lives. One may be having a purposeful act meant to misinform others while targets are not conscious or do not anticipate such act might be happening and where the deceiver intends to impact false conviction to the deceived. Most teens have even taken their disagreement online and even worsening the situation as there are external commentators. If rumors are spread through social media, they will easily reach many people within a short period and this may destroy one’s reputation. However, it is very hard to reach the same people who received rumors to collect information. Particularly it is relevant to protect one’s privacy and stop deceiving others because it is not morally right (Henry and Christensen, 89).
Technology has revolutionized the manner in which companies carry out business. Businesses can exploit technology by use of computers, servers, personal digital products and websites developing more competitive advantages in market place. Entrepreneurs can effectively use technology to create a secure environment for maintaining business information. Technology has the impact on every aspect of the day-to-day operation of the business. The main advancement includes web technology that has made it possible to shop online, advertise, purchase, bank and even read online. This advancement has earned great benefits to both consumers and brand. However, introduction of social media by technology has been in some cases viewed as a threat. It has become very hard for business strategists to make future strategies. Major social Medias like Google or Facebook can with no warning initiate new standards that change the basis of competition of a business. In this case, competitive advantages of business come from how quicker it read and respond to signals than the rivals do, or capitalizing on technology to influence the competition and demand evolution. For an example, one unsatisfied customer may post his/her opinions concerning the certain company in Facebook. This may lead to large withdraw of customers if there is no quick response by management concerning the allegations. Sometimes the company may decide to hire a lawyer in the quest to protect the company’s name that had been diminished. This may be more scandalous mostly when it involves personal, professional careers. (Kimble, 48)
Increased addiction on the technology has developed checking behavior to somewhere they cannot stay long without checking their, email accounts, incoming texts, call or even notices. This has facilitated easier communication. For example, one does not have to deliver a written document to a certain point as they can send them through e-mail. However, some people have developed a behavior of checking on their phones regularly it may be seen as a negative addiction though it is also positive in that one is always alert of incoming calls or texts. This cycle of checking behavior distracts interactions in that if peoples have just met for the first time, they will just interact for few minutes and then both embark on their internet enabled devices (Kroschwitz and Seidel, 258)
Through the social media, one can become a celeb instantly. This is possible as the videos, music or any recording can be sent. On the social medias people usually complement each other by liking what they post may it be culturally accepted or not. This may lead to immorality as it motivates the continuation of posting such posts. For example, if one post his or her half-naked pictures on the social media they will get a lot of likes mostly from the peoples of the opposite sex. This may be seen as an encouragement for such pictures. It is common in social media for people to comment or post posts that they cannot utter through face-to face-communications (Kimble, 1 48).
Technology has some positive impacts to students. It has offered great volumes and varieties of online searches and digital reading materials hence improving research methodology. It has also led to globalization, such that students of different states, countries or continents can interact with their counterparts through video conferences without meeting physically. Exposure of children to educational computer games at the younger age by their teachers, help them to learn basics in spelling, counting, and other educational programs in more entertaining mode. Technology has also enhanced distance learning whereby students receive documents in mails and also assign there assignments to lecturers via mails. It has also introduced a space where students can attend web seminars virtually. These web seminars include those uploaded by educational institutions or museums. However as noted earlier, too much addiction to technology and the internet can be dangerous. These positive impacts do not disregard the fact that the internet causes negative impacts. In fact, they play a major role in causing addiction that is attributed to ADD/ADHD conditions among many students (Kroschwitz and Seidel, 158).
Technology has been able to overcome the barriers place and time making it effectively for one to understand other cultures, maintain strong family relationships, communicate efficiently, interact with people or over the world and become more socially proficient. Vast social Medias created by new technology also provide a space where one can use their leisure time. Amazingly, long lost friends can be traced via social networking sites. Technology in general has created a society where people can move anywhere and still keep in touch with their loved ones. Some meaningful relationships have also traced their origin from social Medias. Some t.v programs also strengthen families and friendship relationships.However as long as this list of positive impacts may be long, the technology remains a setback in such that it isolates individuals from the real physical world (Meyers, 178).
In conclusion, modern technology has led to many problems as compared to benefits. The problems associated with modern technology related to concentration span, personal relationships have been discussed in details. Concentration span has been divided into two; classroom environment and reading habits. Personal relationships are divided into face-to-face communication, emotional distance, online deception, checking behavior and superficial society, business environment. Also, counter argument on both personal relationship and concentration span have been included. However, the problems associated with concentration span and personal relationships have outweighed the positivity. (Meyers, 78)
Work Cited
Meyers, Robert A. Encyclopedia Of Physical Science And Technology. San Diego: Academic Press, 2002. Print.
Kroschwitz, Jacqueline I, and Arza Seidel. Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia Of Chemical Technology. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley-Interscience, 2004. Print.
Kimble, Carol. The Impact Of Technology Of Learning. [Aurora, CO]: Mid-continent Regional Educational Laboratory, 1999. Print
Bayrak, Tuncay. ‘Identifying Collaborative Technology Impact Areas’. Technology in Society 42 (2015): 93-103. Web.
Börnstein, Richard et al. Numerical Data And Functional Relationships In Science And Technology. Berlin [u.a.]: Springer, 1993. Print.
Charness, Neil, and K. Warner Schaie. Impact Of Technology On Successful Aging. New York: Springer Pub., 2003. Print.
Henry, Ronald C., and Erik R. Christensen. ‘Selecting An Appropriate Multivariate Source Apportionment Model Result’. Environmental Science & Technology 44.7 (2010): 2474-2481. Web.
Ehrentraut, Dirk, Elke Meissner, and Michal Bockowski. Technology Of Gallium Nitride Crystal Growth. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 2010. Print.