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'' ' T- WALKING -STUDENTS-
CELLPHONE ' ''
STUDENTS PROFESSORS AND TEACHERS & PEOPLE are by their very intimate and beautiful nature, 'information-seeking creatures'.
When we regularly check our phones, we are snacking on information from devices that offer on all you-can-eat buffer of information.
Our information-foraging tendencies evolved from the behavior of animals foraging for food for survival, said Dr. Adam Gazzaley, a neuroscientist and co-author of the book ''The Distracted Mind : Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World.''
Studies have shown that our brain feels rewarded when we receive information, which drives us to seek more. That's similar to the way our appetites feel sate before we eat.
In some ways, smartphones were designed to be irresistible to information-seeking creatures. Dr. Gazzaley drew this analogy : An animal will probably stay in a tree to gather all of its nuts before moving on to the next one. That's because the animal is weighing the cost of getting to the next tree against diminishing benefit of staying.
With humans and smartphones, there is no cost to switching between email, text messages and apps like Facebook.
''The next tree is right there : It's a link to the next webpage, a shift to the next tab.'' he said. ''We transfer so easily that we don't have to use up the nuts to move on to the next one.''
So we get stuck in cycles. At what point is this considered addiction?
DEBATE OVER THE DANGER
Just how dangerous is distracted walking?. The answer is : It's still unclear. Distracted walking is a relatively new area of research. There have been few studies to show the consequences of what the behavior can lead to. And some of the studies conflict with one another.
THIS YEAR - NEW YORK CITY'S Transportation Department published one study, including data collected about pedestrians-related in New York and nationwide, which found little concrete evidence to link distracted walking with pedestrian fatalities or injuries.
You're walking around and a thought occurs : ''I should check my phone.'' The phone comes out of your pocket. You type a message. Then your eyes remained glued to the screen, even when you walk across the street.
We all do this kind of distracted walking or ''twalking.'' [Yes this term is really a thing.]
The behavior has spawned debates about lawmakers about whether walking and texting should be illegal. Some cities, such as Honolulu and Rexburg, Idaho, have gone beyond talk and banned distracted walking altogether.
But we shouldn't let that reassure us. Lest year, pedestrian deaths in the United States were at their highest point since 1990, with distracted drivers and bigger vehicles the chief culprits. So being fixed on a screen while walking can't be safe.
When we regularly check our phones, we are snacking on information from devices that offer on all you-can-eat buffer of information.
Our information-foraging tendencies evolved from the behavior of animals foraging for food for survival, said Dr. Adam Gazzaley, a neuroscientist and co-author of the book ''The Distracted Mind : Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World.''
Studies have shown that our brain feels rewarded when we receive information, which drives us to seek more. That's similar to the way our appetites feel sate before we eat.
In some ways, smartphones were designed to be irresistible to information-seeking creatures. Dr. Gazzaley drew this analogy : An animal will probably stay in a tree to gather all of its nuts before moving on to the next one. That's because the animal is weighing the cost of getting to the next tree against diminishing benefit of staying.
With humans and smartphones, there is no cost to switching between email, text messages and apps like Facebook.
''The next tree is right there : It's a link to the next webpage, a shift to the next tab.'' he said. ''We transfer so easily that we don't have to use up the nuts to move on to the next one.''
So we get stuck in cycles. At what point is this considered addiction?
DEBATE OVER THE DANGER
Just how dangerous is distracted walking?. The answer is : It's still unclear. Distracted walking is a relatively new area of research. There have been few studies to show the consequences of what the behavior can lead to. And some of the studies conflict with one another.
THIS YEAR - NEW YORK CITY'S Transportation Department published one study, including data collected about pedestrians-related in New York and nationwide, which found little concrete evidence to link distracted walking with pedestrian fatalities or injuries.
You're walking around and a thought occurs : ''I should check my phone.'' The phone comes out of your pocket. You type a message. Then your eyes remained glued to the screen, even when you walk across the street.
We all do this kind of distracted walking or ''twalking.'' [Yes this term is really a thing.]
The behavior has spawned debates about lawmakers about whether walking and texting should be illegal. Some cities, such as Honolulu and Rexburg, Idaho, have gone beyond talk and banned distracted walking altogether.
But we shouldn't let that reassure us. Lest year, pedestrian deaths in the United States were at their highest point since 1990, with distracted drivers and bigger vehicles the chief culprits. So being fixed on a screen while walking can't be safe.
''We know research-wise it's not a good idea, and common-sense wise it can't be a good idea,'' said Ken Kolosh, a manager of statistics at the National Safety Council, a nonprofit organization that focuses on eliminating preventable deaths. ''We don't ever want to blame the victim, but there's personal responsibility all of us have.''
So why do we do it? I talked to neuroscientists and psychologists about our conduct. All agreed that texting while walking might be a form of addictive behavior.
But this column isn't about pointing fingers. Rather, now is a good time to reflect on why we are so glued to our phones, what we know about the risks and how can take control of our personal technology. rather than let it control us.
Not all constant use was considered addictive, said Steven Sussman. a professor pf preventive medicine at the University of Southern California. External pressures, like a demanding job, could require people to frequently check their phones.
But when people check their devices just to enhance their mood, this could be sign of a developing problem.
Another signal of addictive behavior is becoming preoccupied with smartphone use when you should be doing something else. An even clearer indicator is what happens when the phone is taken away.
''Lets say you go out to the mountains and you don't get a reception, so you can't use a smartphone,'' Dr. Sussman said. ''Do you feel a sense of relief? Or do you feel, !WOW!, I want to get out of these mountains - I want to use the smartphone . If you feel the latter, that's towards an addictive direction.''
Jim Steyer, the chief executive of Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that evaluates tech products and media for families, said there needed to be a broad public/student awareness campaign over the dangers of walking and texting in parallel with distracted driving.
''You have distracted pedestrians and distracted drivers, so it's the double whammy,'' he said.
''Tech addiction in both ways.''
The Honor and Serving of the Latest Global Operational Research on Tech Fix and Life, continues. The World Students Society thanks author Brian X. Chen.
With respectful dedication to the Grandparents, Parents, Students, Professors and Teachers of the world.
See Ya all, without distractions, prepare and register for Great Global Elections on The World Students Society : wssciw.blogspot. com and Twitter - !E-WOW! - The Ecosystem 2011.
''' Minimum Multiples '''
So why do we do it? I talked to neuroscientists and psychologists about our conduct. All agreed that texting while walking might be a form of addictive behavior.
But this column isn't about pointing fingers. Rather, now is a good time to reflect on why we are so glued to our phones, what we know about the risks and how can take control of our personal technology. rather than let it control us.
Not all constant use was considered addictive, said Steven Sussman. a professor pf preventive medicine at the University of Southern California. External pressures, like a demanding job, could require people to frequently check their phones.
But when people check their devices just to enhance their mood, this could be sign of a developing problem.
Another signal of addictive behavior is becoming preoccupied with smartphone use when you should be doing something else. An even clearer indicator is what happens when the phone is taken away.
''Lets say you go out to the mountains and you don't get a reception, so you can't use a smartphone,'' Dr. Sussman said. ''Do you feel a sense of relief? Or do you feel, !WOW!, I want to get out of these mountains - I want to use the smartphone . If you feel the latter, that's towards an addictive direction.''
Jim Steyer, the chief executive of Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that evaluates tech products and media for families, said there needed to be a broad public/student awareness campaign over the dangers of walking and texting in parallel with distracted driving.
''You have distracted pedestrians and distracted drivers, so it's the double whammy,'' he said.
''Tech addiction in both ways.''
The Honor and Serving of the Latest Global Operational Research on Tech Fix and Life, continues. The World Students Society thanks author Brian X. Chen.
With respectful dedication to the Grandparents, Parents, Students, Professors and Teachers of the world.
See Ya all, without distractions, prepare and register for Great Global Elections on The World Students Society : wssciw.blogspot. com and Twitter - !E-WOW! - The Ecosystem 2011.
''' Minimum Multiples '''
Good Night and God Bless
SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless
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