Course Content. Module 1

Today’s over-rich diet of sounds and images has effects on young people’s well-being, in particular related to their information-processing capacity. Data often comes from unreliable sources and, on top of this, internet users are consistently profiled by search engines to filter out any information that does not “fit” their profile. Because of this, young people are frequently denied the means of exploring multi-perspective views on issues and can be rapidly polarized towards extreme views, as we are seeing with the rise of hate speech, cyber bullying and poorly informed excessive standpoints^[1].

A substantial body of research empirically investigating the multiple potential pathways through which digital technology and the Internet could affect our brains’ structure, function, and cognitive development has been emerging. Specifically, the bulk of existing research can be separated into three specific domains, examining how the internet is affecting:

a) attention (i.e., how the constant influx of online information, prompts and notifications competing for our attention may encourage individuals to displace their concentration across multiple incoming media streams – and the consequences this may have for attentional‐switching versus sustained‐attention tasks);

b) memory and knowledge (i.e., the extent to which we rely on the Internet as our primary informational resource, and how unique properties of online information access may affect how we process new memories and value our internal knowledge);

c) social cognition (along with the personal and societal consequences of increasingly embedding our social networks, interactions, and status within the online world)^[2].

To complicate the issue further, researchers are showing through Magnetic Resonance Imaging that even moderate use of online technology can result in the overdevelopment of certain parts of the brain and slow down development in other parts. They are pointing to a consequent underdevelopment of the prefrontal lobe, which is said to be limiting the capacity of young people to project the outcomes of actions. Kindergarten teachers and child psychologists are also voicing concern that online technology is having a considerable impact on developmental phases in early childhood, markedly prevalent in reduced concentration spans and delayed development of certain motor co-ordination skills.

Reflection corner

1. Have you ever heard the expression “brain fog”? The brain is any amazing tool, but it has its limits. We often exceed what our brains can process and in so doing reach something called cognitive overload, which means we hit a mental wall that leads to irritability and poor thinking and impacts not only our decision making, but our productivity and ability to stay motivated as well^[3]. Have you ever experienced a “brain fog”? What caused it? What were the effects?

2. Try to find two contradicting articles/ videos/ pieces of information on the same issue. For example: “Vaccines can cause cancers” and “Vaccines help prevent cancers”. Why is it important to read both articles? Would you discard one of them as being “not reliable” or even “fake”? Why?

3. The typical cell phone user touches his or her phone 2,617 times every day, according to a study by research firm Dscout. How is this connected to the amount of information we receive every day? How many times do you touch yours? Be truthful!