A self reporting 60% of college students admit that they may be addicted to their cell phones. Spending an average two hours a day on them. Its odd to think that the very individuals that would benefit the future integration of our technology, in a healthy way, may themselves be addicted. Not only this, but the method in which you conduct research, and are informed about how phones/screens are changing our lives, are on screens.
There are many established benefits that you can potentially quantify for time spent on screens. It feels that they have plateaued compared to the insidious future of how this technology will grow. In other words, there may be equal pros and cons now, but what about the future?
If our most enlightened and informed researchers rely on the technology they are attempting to be impartial to, to do the research, is there really an alternative? If so, what could an alternative look like?
Perhaps it’s the physical format. As in, the nature of the screen, or the functionality. I think that, as unlikely as it is, or strange as it is, our devices should work more slowly. Maybe not literally slower but, some sort of format that browses at a more comfortable pace. To support my argument with anecdotal evidence, I can prove my own tech habits. I have both a Roku and a Playstation. I notice that when I use the roku to watch tv/movies, I sometimes get frustrated at the pace it takes to navigate the interface. Overall the process is quiet, and slow, with even a soothing screensaver when the menu is left idle. On the other hand my playstation makes a sound with every movement of my cursor through the menus, that respond instantly. Maneuvering towards what you want to watch is so quick that it starts to feel like a game in itself and to me, can be less mindful and more tense.
If marketed and developed properly, perhaps devices could be less dopamine inducing, and addicting. Although what company would want to invest in that?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4291831/ The invisible addiction: Cell-phone activities and addiction among male and female college students JAMES A. ROBERTS,1 LUC HONORE PETNJI YAYA,2 and CHRIS MANOLIS3
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