Is technology rewiring our brains? Or are we simply adapting and adjusting to new technology. Some believe it takes a long period of time and research before we can classify something as rewiring the brain, others would say the use of technology is, without a doubt, rewiring our brains. With increased access to information, the opportunity for immediate feedback from others around us, and our expectation of instant results when using technology, it would almost seem that use of technology has rewired the brain to shorten our attention spans. Or does it just boil down to our having adapted to using technology, becoming accustomed to the almost instant results it provides, and this has heightened impatience rather than rewiring our brains?
Is the key the definition of rewiring? I agree that it seems like we are thinking differently, and more visually, as technology becomes a bigger part of our lives. But doesn’t just about everything we do rewire our brains in some way? For years I have taught my music students that your brain processes the same piece of music differently when you are reading the music vs. when you have it memorized, and again differently when you know it well enough to play it with your eyes closed, which is where you really want to be before performing or playing for an exam! As far as a major rewiring of how we think based on use of technology, I’m not so sure.
My hunt for some additional information led me to a number of fact vs myth discussions. As an example Dr. Michelle D. Miller notes that cognitive scientists think in terms of hundreds of years rather than ten to twenty years to confirm a trend like this. In her book Minds Online: Teaching Effectively with Technology, she points out that technology now allows them to see the new pathways forming in the brain as we learn certain things, like learning to read. I’m not convinced that we have had enough time or evidence yet to point to technology as rewiring the brain.
I am more inclined to agree with the notion that our use of technology is an adaptation to something that makes our lives easier. I certainly acknowledge that we approach obtaining information differently based on available technology, and it would sure seem that this is causing attention spans to be shorter. Another avenue for instant gratification comes from the convenience of being able to use the web to research information as needed, no more marching to the library, checking out card catalogs and looking for books that they may, or may not have. A simple web search does the trick. However I don’t know that I would consider that rewiring of the brain. Maybe we just need to focus a bit more on practicing patience itself. Looking back at other advances that made our lives easier or provided access to information in a more timely fashion gives us a bit more insight into rewiring vs. adapting to change.
Dr. Miller notes that that popular media has planted the seed that technology is having an effect on our minds and brains. I found it interesting that she referenced a similar technological advancement decades ago when the same thoughts were voiced, it was thought that this technology would re-engineer interaction and cognitive abilities. The technology was the introduction of the radio. I think that there’s more research to be done here before we decide that technology is rewiring our brains, at this point I’m just not sold on the concept, I think it’s too soon to tell.
February 24, 2018