Sharing Nicely

A response to Nicholas Carr‘s recent piece in The Atlantic points out that the “digital divide” goes much beyond access to technology issues. A UCLA researcher studying memory and aging, notes that the use of certain technologies can rewire the way we think – with wide ranging implications on what social practices we develop. In a recent study on ICT access and use in Africa that I participated in – we found that those with access to ICT were more similar with each other – regardless of the country they lived in – than with the majority of their countrymen. Will the social practices that these digital natives develop become more and more out of sync with their non-connected peers?

On the upside, this could also mean that using tools which develop collaborative practices and encourage the open sharing of ideas (such as wikis) will remap our brains in ways that will lead to more socially beneficial behaviour. So that the experience of sharing ideas might allow us to get better at sharing land, water, and oil? Let’s face it, those are important skills to learn!

Following is the complete letter to The Atlantic, that was sent in response to this article “Is Google making us stupid?” by Nicholas Carr (I underlined parts of it).

Nicholas Carr correctly notes that technology is changing our lives and our brains. The average young person spends more than eight hours each day using technology (computers, PDAs, TV, videos), and much less time engaging in direct social contact. Our UCLA brain-scanning studies are showing that such repeated exposure to technology alters brain circuitry, and young developing brains (which usually have the greatest exposure) are the most vulnerable. Instead of the traditional generation gap, we are witnessing the beginning of a brain gap that separates digital natives, born into 24/7 technology, and digital immigrants, who came to computers and other digital technology as adults.

This perpetual exposure to technology is leading to the next major milestone in brain evolution. More than 300,000 years ago, our Neanderthal ancestors discovered handheld tools, which led to the co-evolution of language, goal-directed behavior, social networking, and accelerated development of the frontal lobe, which controls these functions. Today, video-game brain, Internet addiction, and other technology side effects appear to be suppressing frontal-lobe executive skills and our ability to communicate face-to-face. Instead, our brains are developing circuitry for online social networking and are adapting to a new multitasking technology culture.

Gary Small, M.D.
Director, UCLA Memory & Aging Research Center
Los Angeles, California