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Ask Slashdot: Are Interactive Computing Devices Addictive?
This question came from two things noticed by Slashdot reader dryriver:
"Myself and just about every other kid I was friends with in the 1980s were definitely addicted to computers when we were young, and stayed that way until we reached college."
"There is increasing concern about everybody from young kids to people 60+ staring into smartphone, tablet computer and laptop screens for hours and hours every day and not partaking in other activities they used to before the "glowing screen" hooked them."
His question: Are interactive computing devices, whether networked or not, addictive in nature? What kind of applications appear to be the most addictive? (AAA games? Casual games? Social media? Texting?) And could the addiction have something to do with "Neuroplasticity", the fact that doing an activity over and over again each day that you place great importance in, and pay great attention to, can actually rewire the neurons in your brain?
Nicholas Carr once argued that "We're training ourselves, through repetition, to be facile skimmers, scanners, and message-processors -- important skills, to be sure -- but, perpetually distracted and interrupted, we're not training ourselves in the quieter, more attentive modes of thought." Slashdot readers seem uniquely qualified to address this, so leave your own attentive thoughts in the comments. Are interactive computing devices addictive?
"Myself and just about every other kid I was friends with in the 1980s were definitely addicted to computers when we were young, and stayed that way until we reached college."
"There is increasing concern about everybody from young kids to people 60+ staring into smartphone, tablet computer and laptop screens for hours and hours every day and not partaking in other activities they used to before the "glowing screen" hooked them."
His question: Are interactive computing devices, whether networked or not, addictive in nature? What kind of applications appear to be the most addictive? (AAA games? Casual games? Social media? Texting?) And could the addiction have something to do with "Neuroplasticity", the fact that doing an activity over and over again each day that you place great importance in, and pay great attention to, can actually rewire the neurons in your brain?
Nicholas Carr once argued that "We're training ourselves, through repetition, to be facile skimmers, scanners, and message-processors -- important skills, to be sure -- but, perpetually distracted and interrupted, we're not training ourselves in the quieter, more attentive modes of thought." Slashdot readers seem uniquely qualified to address this, so leave your own attentive thoughts in the comments. Are interactive computing devices addictive?
if you let it
Anything can be addictive if you like it.
No
Every day, i find myself spending 8 hours sitting in a bizarre grey cube doing what people who are called my "bosses" tell me to do. Mostly it involves typing things into a black box, which then shows me markings on a screen, after which i type more things into the black box.
Twice a month i receive "credits" in an "account" - essentially i am just making a number go up in a database. Much like a gamer.
If you count travel and lunch time, i spend 50 hours a week doing this activity. I'm starting to get worried. At this "Workplace" we are not supposed to talk about sex, drugs, racism, or anything controversial. There are cameras watching us all day long and recording our keystrokes. It can get a bit weird after a while. I wonder if I have joined a cult?
But mostly, when I tried to stop "doing work", i was told that I had to move out of my apartment, stop driving my car, and stop buying food! This "work habit" had gotten way out of control - i couldn't live without it.
I don't know if there is a solution, but I wish someone could help me. Even my psychologist asked me for "money" when I tried to talk to her about it! ! ! Crazy.
Yes, I've been addicted to variants of the 4 function calculator for years. Did you know if you type 55378008 and turn it upside down it spells BOOBLESS, and that was the start of internet porn. Of course who can forget SHELL OIL.. 710.77345 and that is how we all got hooked on fossil fuel propulsion.
Do you foam at the mouth if you can't play a game when you want? Do you twitch when you can't get at your facebook profile? Do you break into people's houses when you can't get a grindr match?
You ain't addicted, you're a lawyer looking for a way to get your stupid ass client off whatever stupid thing you did.
Software can be designed to be addictive, hardware provides just the palette and canvas for the willing designer.
The summary was pretty long. I did skim the first couple of lines, but - was there a question or something in there, somewhere?
- Sent from my iPad
#DeleteChrome
wait, I was doing something... I forgot... wow, another cat video... I didn't know cats could do that, this is awesome
Never antropomorphize computers, they do not like that
Computers are habit forming but not addictive. Addiction is caused by chemicals screwing with your biology. If you take a computer away from someone for a week, it bothers them because is breaks their habit, but they don't go through withdrawal like heroine or nicotine. Computers don't do that.
It just replaced my grandpa's TV. He would spend hours watching Direct-TV. Then he found Netflix and the same thing. Now its browsing any random shit he finds on YouTube or Facebook.
There is no epidemic. He is just board. Being forced to use a smart phone, he uses this rather than his computer because its more daunting. Rather than reading a book or watching the TV, we now just shit post on the internet for fun.
Though, even as I say this, even I want to tell my grandpa to turn the TV on once in a while.
If you use a pen to write a letter, are you addicted to pens?
"Interactive Computing Devices" are tools. Use them enough, and yes with neuroplasticity, they will become extensions of one's body.
Now, the better question is, are these devices turning their users into superficial, reactive, unimaginative, close-minded idiots? And I respond, What if they are already those things? They certainly aren't doing much to help these users by becoming more and more appliance-like (no user serviceable parts, no schematic included, absolutely no tinkering or we'll sue you).
As for "not partaking in other activities they used to before the 'glowing screen' hooked them." God I can only hope this is the case. Boomers and bankers have driven up the price of property and insurance so high, I can only hope the crash comes soon enough. Going outside and doing "anything" other than pulling up weeds or kicking rocks around costs money. Everything outside has a price, by design. Admission fee, parking fee, trail fee, tolls, license for this and that, fines, taxes on top.
A wise man once said, "The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing."
So yes, anything that is amazing to watch, see, or listen to has the potential for addictiveness.. Radio, TV, Record-players, 8-Tracks, books.
Additionally, the optic nerve has its own high bandwidth bus directly to the brain so it doesn't have to compete with the rest of the body.
Since in the first world, we don't have to spend every waking moment on survival, we have options. Unfortunately, our technology is adapting much, much faster than out species and companies are doing their best to capture our eyeballs and our wallets. Food, technology, commercials and just about everything is manufactured to be addictive.
If you want to get your Phd, the question you should be asking is "How addictive are interactive computing devices?" instead of "Are interactive computing devices addictive." As and added bonus you can get quantitative data :)
...Just count how many "computer addicts" are pimping themselves out to random strangers so only they can afford to play another session of WoW?
I believe that addiction is more like a defense system for society hardships, and everyone can be addicted to anything that flips those emotions, illegal drugs are the only ones that are being fighting, but we see alcohol, tobacco, sex, gaming, energizing drinks, legal drugs are other addiction vehicles, but we can see also some other addictions like money, power, influence, social status, fisical appearance, beauty products, parenting, partying, dancing, enterteinment (like reading, watching films or reading news), and other small vehicles that for some people are something they do depend on to satisfy a part of themselves that do not feel part of the society cluster they are living.
We can get extremely attached to anything if that keeps our minds feeling better, the vehicle for that might vary but the effects for each individual are pretty much the same.
Are interactive computing devices, whether networked or not, addictive in nature?
No. You can easily make any device frustrating enough to use that people will hate using it even if it saves them hours of work.
What kind of applications appear to be the most addictive?
This is the heart of the issue, the applications! A significant amount of neurological research has gone into how to trigger the reward centers in the brain which is what causes some software to be addictive. Some people research this and only this because it's become a very lucrative field.
Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
Ah slashdot- where the social engineering never ends...
What does organised religion do? Tell the suckers they should feel 'guilty' for all the things they do naturally in life. Then tell the suckers they need to 'trust' in god's 'authority' as represented by the priest class, for their 'salvation'.
Today 'organised religion' has mutated to a raft of social engineering methods like 'political correctness' - which boils down to the same old tactic- namely "you're doing it WRONG so let us think on your behalf". Addiction- do any of you people here fall for such pathetic Orwellian methods?
"Repent, citizen, and let Big Brother's annointed ones help you to a better place"
For the one million + years of Man's history, life has been hard and short. This last hundred years or so a golden age has finally appeared for the Common Man- and now everything this golden age has brought, you are told to 'hate' by the same people who help Saudi Arabia spread wahhabi terror across the planet.
This is the clue, people. Yeah most of you are too thick to escape the trap of 'guilt' so the bad people can use that against you- but you can at least see what else the self same bad people are doing. You see if the person that insults you by calling you a tech addict is also providing wire guided missile systems to the extremists butchering people like you in Syria, you can probably guess what their real motivation is and dismiss their criticism of you.
You are born with a inherent sense of self- and you do not need anyone else to tell you how it is. If you are an addict, you already know this. The truth is that most people hate the idea of 'work', and wish they had most of their time for leisure. Modern tech brings leisure to all those periods that before were just functional (for most) like commuting or walking or waiting. And the monsters don't like the fact that now- instead of listening to their propaganda on the radio, or in the paper, or on TV, you are doing something else instead.
You now choose, and they hate that you choose.
"rewire the neurons in your brain" = learning. We all do it all the time. Re: "Are Interactive Computing Devices Addictive?" -- Social media services; Facebook, Twitter, etc.; are designed to be as addictive as possible. They make their money out of having lots of eyes on their web pages so they hire gaming (read: gambling) consultants to "game-ify" their services, and like the gaming industry, they do it regardless of any negative effects this may have in people's lives. The biggest difference is that the gaming industry is strictly regulated, social media is not. Cory Doctorow gave a presentation about how this works at TEDxObserver a few years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?... I hope this helps :)
Debate is a form of harassment. Do not question my truth.
>"Myself and [...] until we reached college."
Eeek, try "I"! Did you finish college? Anyway...
>"Are Interactive Computing Devices Addictive?"
Absolutely. But just about anything can become "addictive." The human brain almost seems to be wired to become "addicted" to all kinds of things. I watch many people twitch when denied access to their phones for just short periods of time, as if they can't survive 10 minutes of just silent thinking, contemplation, or even just a hour of conversation (often the same people walking off the curb into traffic, swerving while driving, and ignoring everyone around them at a dinner table).
I do think the word "addicted" is overused and twisted around a lot. "Dependent" might be a better description for some of the more common things we see now.
>"perpetually distracted and interrupted, we're not training ourselves in the quieter, more attentive modes of thought."
Exactly. As if everyone has become ADHD and yet also just living in the present moment.... no thought to the future or re-examining the past.
Interactive things tend to be more addictive than dead things. I mean... think about it... How addicted are you to your dead friends, dead pets, dead rocks? Aren't the interactive ones more fun?
Any activity that causes the body to releases dopamine or happy-fun chemicals like norepinephrine can be addictive. Video games, exercise, sex, drugs. I would think that some things, like playing with your phone or getting swole, are more innocuous.
At 91 my eyes are not what they used to be and my energies also have dropped somewhat. To have a desktop which puts me in immediate touch with any news event, any comment, any reference for arcane information at the touch of a keyboard plus that the type can be easily enlarged to meed my visual decline. If anything, my contacts with the world and people of similar interest is far more intense than ever before. To characterize this as an addiction is, to say the least, a total misinterpretation of reality. Are people these days addicted to automobiles rather than horses, to airplanes rather than dreaming at isolated spots of seeing the world? This judgement strikes me as most peculiar.I think far better these days now being far better informed of the dynamics of the planet. I do not feel deprived of sitting beneath a tree and studying the bugs.
I thought the whole idea of games, social media and other apps like these that they were designed to be addictive - otherwise how are users going to tell other people about them ("Man, I just can't stop playing this" or "This is the same game Alec Baldwin refused to stop playing when the plane was supposed to take off").
There's really two issues here. The first is that various apps are addictive and the answer to that is yes because they are designed to be.
The second, which I think is much more important, are the various apps not developing and harming long term thinking and reasoning skills? Are they turning us into purely reactive entities that don't think through their responses?
Is Donald Trump president?
Mimetics Inc. Twitter
...in that a subway/street scene from the '90s or earlier would be full of them. Phones and other devices have replaced them.
The big difference is that they have constant content updates. I think any addiction comes from that. You can always stop reading a newspaper and get back to it later. Same with movies, TV shows, or single-player games. It's the always-online, multiplayer-type of games/content that get people hooked. The feeling that they are missing something by not being online/in a game.
Word verification: sporty
No. Unless you have no other skills, interest or talents.
Kind of off topic, but this is what hollywood/scientlology/whatever gets you. An episode of DS with nothing but YouTube comments at the bottom. Gross and disheartening.
Slashdot readers are attentive? TIL. Flutters away to read something else.
"Slashdot readers seem uniquely qualified to address this"
Are you fucking serious? You know who's uniquely qualified to address this? Researchers with a thorough background in addiction doing a controlled, double-blind study on a representative sample of people and then submitting their findings and conclusions for peer-review to find methodological errors before giving you whatever answer they found.
see subject
I come to slashdot and other tech forums because it makes me feel better, as opposed to CNN. After reading that i want to off myself. ya these tech sites really seem to be a type of meditation almost... I think you all know what i mean... You have to be fully focused on what your doing (coding), or reading in regards to tech.... it takes your mind off the bad things quite well... especially if you got the BUG for it... you know what i mean about the BUG... that drive that makes you want to code... that feeling... its a beautiful thing.
[($)]
There's a great video on addiction by Youtube user Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell, that offers up the following: "The opposite of addiction is not sobriety. The opposite of addiction is connection." It's almost too simple to be correct, but it makes sense.
All this technology and civilization has been a terrible mistake and makes us unhappy.
Lets just go back to the trees and communicate by throwing feces at each others as nature intended.
Only if you don't have something better to do.
Human focus can be changed easily. If you put down the device and do something else, you'll never miss it.
If you like building Lego structures, work on that a few hours instead.
If you like hiking, do that for a few hours instead.
If you find a great book to read, do that for a few hours a day until it is finished.
Play a sport, go fishing, learn to fly, go to the beach, lake, boat ride - pretty much any activity that doesn't need a computing device can take your mind off it.
The only trick I can think of is to disable notification, so your change in focus isn't interrupted.
This really isn't hard.
The human mind wants to control its environment. Computers offer unparalleled control.
For anyone wanting to increase that control, learn programming. To bring that into the real world, combine that with robotics.
Does mental "down time" perform any useful function?
Because that's what we're eliminating: time you spend neither doing something explicitly purposeful nor being entertained.
Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
Summary TL;DR, I'm a slashdot reader, and a millenial. We will rule your world soon.
Ever notice that no-one worries whether going to work or washing the dishes are addictive. For most people, work is repetitive and dull with a reward only once every 2 weeks.
I remember an Australian documentary on poker machines. Even when one has lost money, they 'reward' the player for not losing more.
Yes, he is and he is a Slashdot dumb editor...
I can't understand this:
by mykepredko ( 40154 ) on Sunday August 06, 2017 @12:09AM (#54949191) Homepage
by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 06, 2017 @11:38AM (#54950431)
How is it possible that the reply was at 11:38 and the post at 12:09...time travel?
For most of those people staring at a screen, it's not the device that interests them, but rather the content. They have found a way to interact with more interesting people who are not in physical proximity. Here's a nice article on neurochemicals the brain uses to reward behavior. It's possible to design computer games that stimulate the release of these chemicals, particularly dopamine. In some cases, this can lead to behavior that qualifies as addiction. Most of the time, you're seeing people replacing behavior that's valued by someone in their physical proximity with behavior that's valued by people who are more distant. Whether the support systems in our society are sufficiently good that we can so frequently disregard physical proximity as an organizing factor in the web of value exchange that we use to construct our place in society is a discussion worth having, and probably worth having in secondary school. However, it's not a discussion about addiction.
If your dopamine levels increase, there is possibility of addiction.
Yes, we are that simple...
Yes
If you gave me a choice between a printer and a giraffe with explosive diarrhoea, i'll get my ladder and my raincoat
These devices and apps revolve around instant gratification which I think is the root of all addiction. If you have an addictive personality then using technology can become your vice. Or maybe it's not so much we're addicted to technology but we've been socialized to need it.
There comes a time when after youve done the school and the books, you need the cliff-notes, the reference data, the meat-and-potatoes, on a particular subject at a particular time. Computers help get you that one fact, so that you can get to the next thing. You could even give up books entirely if you have a career, because, meh, you'll read an interesting few later. Git er done, because your body is on its way to degrading permanently or youre gonna be kilt tomorrow. Do as thou will.
Wait a sec! YOU also posted at 11:42AM while the OP posted at 12:09! Quick, grab on to my time lasso man—you've been sucked into a time vortex!