As discussed in the article, I think we are dependent on digital media, but not addicted. According to Medical News Today, addiction has a psychological/physical component where the person is unable to control the aspects of the addiction without help due to mental or physical conditions. As discussed in the Diamondback article, we are dependent on information. We have become so used to constantly being updated on news, text messages, and emails that it becomes second nature to check digital media frequently. However, I don't think this is an addiction because for the average person, there is no psychological or physical component where we can't go without media unless we get help. Like Andrew who didn't miss his phone while he was in Mexico, most people can go without media while they are actually doing something entertaining. It becomes something that we constantly check when we are bored and there is nothing else to do.
I definitely will admit to using digital media very frequently. I always have my phone on me and check it frequently throughout the day. I bring my laptop to classes that allow it, and would be lying if I said that I didn't use it for purposes other than just taking notes during class. I definitely will stop to check social media, shop online, etc depending on what class I am in, what material we are going over, and the pace of the class. While digital media can be highly distracting, I don't think there should be rules at home or school governing technology. We are all responsible adults who can make decisions regarding our digital media usage. If we decide to use technology in class to browse the internet instead of take notes, that is our own fault.
I think being able to use laptops and smartphones is helpful in class. For me personally, I can't handwrite notes fast enough to keep up with how quickly professors go through their power points. Being able to type my lecture notes allows me to take notes while still being able to pay attention to what is being discussed, as opposed to being focused on copying everything down. However, they are also incredibly distracting at the same time. It is very easy to switch from taking notes one second to checking Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc the next second. This not only distracts the student doing those things, but also the students around them as they see them looking at different things on their device.
http://www.diamondbackonline.com/news/campus/article_0527403c-20e8-11e3-862d-0019bb30f31a.html
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/addiction/
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Interactive mediums like video games could have greater affect on users than passive mediums such as television
It is
undoubtedly clear that the media has a profound effect on many aspects of
today’s society. When we see something on television or in movies, we are
likely to replicate it in our own lives. The same can be applied to video games,
but to an even higher degree since it is an interactive form of media, as
opposed to television, which is passive.
I believe that a highly interactive medium like video games has the
potential to have a greater affect on media users than a more passive medium
like television.
There is no
question that television has a significant affect on its viewers. This can be
proven through research, such as the Bobo Doll studies, which were preformed in
the 1950s. These experiments showed that children who watched violent
television shows where the aggressor was rewarded were more likely to become
violent (such as punching the Bobo Doll) and aggressive than children who
watched television where the violent person was punished. Video games have also
shown a similar affect on their users. According to a New York Times article, a study was conducted at Iowa State
University where undergraduates played Mortal
Kombat: Deadly Alliance then were told to give hot sauce to a fellow
student who did not like spicy foods. Compared to students who played a
nonviolent video game, the Mortal Kombat
students were more aggressive and gave out more hot sauce.
While it is
clear that television and video games both have an affect on their users, I
believe that video games are more influential. I think this comes down to the
fact that television is a passive medium while video games are highly
interactive. When you are watching a violent television show, you are simply watching
actors engage in violence. However, when you are playing violent video games, you are the one doing the shooting and
killing. According to an article from PBS, “Video
games could be expected to have a larger effect than media violence. The player
is participating. They’re being reinforced.” The reinforcement discussed in the
PBS article comes from being rewarded after completing a violent task, which
usually involves shooting or killing many people. While there isn’t enough
conclusive evidence to prove that video games have a larger affect than television,
I believe they do simply because of the fact that video games are interactive
and allow the user to have the experience of shooting, killing, and acting
violent. However, neither television nor video games can be held fully responsible for any resulting violence. Parents can be held equally accountable, as there are ratings on TV shows and video games based on age, as well as many viable alternatives to violent shows and games.
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