Does all this technology make us more productive?

The problem with all forms of digital technology, including Internet,  smartphones,  texting, email, and all forms of digital media communication, is that they eat and waste a lot of time. There are productivity loss estimates as high as 3 hours spent every work day on non-work related online activities. Add this to glitches and technical problems associated with using our technology and one can see how easy it is to waste time. As well, we all experience a sense of time distortion or dissociation when online–we loose track of time and space. We are incapable of not spending more time online than we think we are spending.

By |June 22nd, 2012|Dr. Dave's Blog|1 Comment

Smartphones are the world’s smallest slot machines…

Internet technology, including Smartphones, operate on a variable ratio reinforcement schedule-just like a slot machine used in gambling.  All aspects of information sought after and found on the Internet occur within this variable ratio reinforcement environment. The Internet  operates with a high degree of unpredictability and novelty and it is this unpredictability that facilitates the compelling nature of the Internet’s attractiveness.  The reinforcement/reward factor seem to be the most significant element in contributing to the addictive nature of the Internet and other digital media technologies. The Internet functions on a variable ratio reinforcement schedule (VRRS). Whether it’s gaming, sexual content, e-mail,  texting,  facebook, shopping or general information surfing, they all support unpredictable and variable reward structures.

By |June 20th, 2012|Dr. Dave's Blog|2 Comments

Smartphones aren’t smart enough!

When we are on our smartphones (iPhones, Androids, Blackberrys) we are unconscious stating to the world that WE ARE NOT really present where we are. We are indirectly stating that we are not fully present in the moment and that something or someone elsewhere is better elsewhere to pay attention to. We as a culture have not really decided how to deal with this reality but spending any time in public now one typically sees people staring into small screens and not noticing anyone or anything around them.

By |June 20th, 2012|Dr. Dave's Blog|Comments Off on Smartphones aren’t smart enough!

Real-time living or Virtual Addiction: life is not digital experience

Living our lives in virtual environments as in gaming, porn, surfing or virtual worlds like face book or twitter leaves many questions. How can we live a virtual-life when we aren’t fully living our real-time life?  Every time we answer our cell phone, web surf, or look at text or email on our smart phone we in essence shifting time and space and making the public and personal statement that we are wanting to be somewhere other than where we actually are. We in essence leave the here and now. It seems as though we are running away from being where we actually are at the moment. We are trying to numb ourselves, to deal with boredom, or our disconnection from ourselves and our lives. So we remain mindlessly connected and distracted, and at the same time disconnected from ourselves in an endless fashion. We go to bed using our technology (sleeping next to our smart phones) and begin our day with it as well.  We live our lives unconsciously, wired and wireless, and then we medicate ourselves with the same technology when we feel bad.

By |June 11th, 2012|Dr. Dave's Blog|Comments Off on Real-time living or Virtual Addiction: life is not digital experience

Why do we love to text and email so much?

The lines that define Internet use and abuse have begun to blur in that many media and entertainment technologies utilize Internet or web-based access and therefore share many of the addictive elements. The basic psychological factors that account for the addictive nature of the Internet apply to all Internet-enabled technologies, as well many other digital media technologies.  Smartphone’s, PDA’s, Iphones, Ipads, tablet computers, and game systems all rely on Internet Technology and therefore subject to the same potential for abuse and addiction. There are many factors associated with Internet abuse and addiction, including overuse, misuse, and tolerance, and withdrawal, ease-of-access, instant gratification, boundaries, dissociation, disinhibition, and perceived anonymity. Perhaps the most potent contributor is the variable ratio reinforcement schedule that appears to create a slot-machine effect for the Internet and other digital media technologies. The Internet and by extension, all devices accessing it, have become miniature slot machines where we are responding to unconscious reinforcement patterns and expressions of Dopamine.   Texting, email, Facebook—even web surfing all respond to the same principles  We are seeing tremendous changes in how the world stores and accesses information and entertainment; the web has become the World’s hard drive and we are all tethered to […]

By |March 20th, 2012|Dr. Dave's Blog|Comments Off on Why do we love to text and email so much?