Introduction

Technologies have their own impact on human lives and such influences can be either negative or positive. It has been observed over the centuries that despite having positive effects, technological advancements have negatively impacted on the thought processes and social interactions of humans in a thorough and explicit manner (Gaille, 2017). Technologies have the potential to reduce human efforts, which though may seem to be a positive factor is actually a bane because along with effort, technologies can eventually reduce critical and creative thinking among human beings, making the human race gradually less imaginative and less productive (Ripon, 2020). Computer, which has been considered as one of the greatest technological advancements, has continued to demonstrate the negative trends of technological advancements, and in spite of being highly productive for the human race, computer has eventually succeeded in alleviating the capacity of critical and creative thinking among individual users. Moreover, computers have also compelled drastic transitions that have been embodied in the deteriorated social interactions among people across the globe. Though it might seem that computers have made life easier for the majority of humankind, in reality it has changed detrimentally the way humans thinks and the way humans interact. Hence, it can be argued that computers have ushered negative changes in the way humans used to live.

How Computer is changing the Way Humans Think

Technological advancements and especially the advent of computers have changed the traditional thought pattern that humans used to follow. In this respect, it has to be taken into account that computers have alleviated human productivity in terms of critical and creative thinking drastically over the years (Vogel, 2012). There is a rationale behind such claim. In this regard it has to be noted that research has found that prolonged exposure to computers can eventually alter the through process of the users (Vogel, 2012). Research reports suggest that when humans are exposed to computers in a prolonged manner then they tend to think differently as gradually they start losing their capacity for empathy with other people (Vogel, 2012). This exposure has the potential to reduce the human capacity to think critically and creatively (Vogel, 2012). Such reduction, in turn, affects through the way humans interact with one another. Quite interestingly, the former Chief Executive of Google, Eric Schmidt, in 2010, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, said that increased exposure to instantaneous technological devices, including computers, can compel humans to spend less time in reading different forms of literature, books, magazines, etc, and that can have detrimental impact on human cognition (Vogel, 2012). Schmidt (as cited in Vogel, 2012) also suggested that prolonged exposure to technologically advanced devices like computer can drastically impact on reading habits of individuals, making them more cognitively detached.

Consumption of the internet technology through the use of computers can also have through and explicit negative impact on the thought process of the users because such prolonged exposures can have deleterious effect on the brain and brain cells (Javaheri, 2011). Research has found that loss of conventional modes of interaction can affect brain functioning, which, in turn, can negatively impact on the thinking abilities and thought processes of individuals (Javaheri, 2011). In a research conducted by Baroness Greenfield (as cited in Javaheri, 2011), who is a British brain expert, it has been found that excessive exposure to technologically advanced devices like computers can eventually instigate loss of eye contact and physical closeness and this can result in shriveling of the brain tissue in children, triggering the phenomenon of ‘mind change.’ This is a pointer to the fact that computers have the ability to change the way humans think and computers can bring about detrimental alterations to the human thought processes. Computers have been largely changed the ways in which humans used to interact and the ushering of social media that can be easily accessed via computer has replaced human interaction processes thereby alienating humans from conventional and healthy modes of communication and interaction (Javaheri, 2011). This has impacted negatively on the empathetic skills and emotional intelligence of humans, making them more vulnerable to lack of imagination caused by excessive exposure to devices like computers.

The fact that computers have the potential to detrimentally alter the ways humans used to think is evident in from a BBC report that highlighted the persistent problem of web addiction in South Korea that compelled neurologist Dr. Lee Jae-Won to offer medical treatment, including administration of anti-depressants and therapeutic interventions, to help patients overcome the challenge of refraining from such addiction (Javaheri, 2011). What has been found is that access to websites through computers can alienate the users from conventional social interactions, triggering alteration in way of developing perspective, which in turn, deteriorates imagination and creative thinking as well as critical thinking among the users of computers. Moreover, excessive exposure to computers can disable functionality of some specific areas in the brain and this embodies a potential threat to the human way of thinking (Javaheri, 2011). Moreover, from the clinical perspective it has been observed that excessive and prolonged exposure to computers can impact the brain functioning drastically, instigating psychological disorders. In this respect, it has to be taken into account that one of the most harmful effects of extensive screen time (exposure to computer screens) is heightening of attention-deficit symptoms coupled with impaired emotional and social intelligence in many individuals (Small, 2020). It has also been found that prolonged exposure to and use of computers can make individuals technology addicts, which has its own detrimental impacts on the personal and social lives of the concerned individuals (Small, 2020). Research has also suggested that extensive and excessive use of computers can change the thought process and thinking pattern of humans deleteriously because such exposures and uses can impair brain development and can also bring about sleep disruption, which is harmful to the physical and psychological health of a person (Small, 2020). The claim that computers can change the way human think in a negative way can be supported by citing the fact that there is a substantial relationship between prolonged exposure to computers and other technologically advanced devices like smartphones, tablets, etc and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (Small, 2020). A survey of adolescents without ADHD symptoms found that after 24 months of prolonged exposure to computers and digital media the participants became more prone to developing symptoms of ADHD (Ra et al., 2018). This also suggests that through impacting negatively on the brain functioning, computers can detrimentally change the way humans think.

Conclusion

Computers have forced drastic transitions that have been observed in terms of the deteriorated social interactions among people across the globe. Though it might seem that computers have made life smoother for innumerable human beings, it is a fact that it has changed detrimentally the way humans thinks and the way humans interact. Hence, it can be argued that computers have ushered negative changes in the way humans used to live. It has to be taken into account that technological advancements and especially the advent of computers have changed the traditional thought pattern that humans used to follow. In this respect, it has to be taken into account that computers have alleviated human productivity in terms of critical and creative thinking. Research has also proved that consumption of the internet technology through the use of computers can also have through and explicit negative impact on the thought process of the users because such prolonged exposures can have deleterious effect on the brain and brain cells.

References

Gaille, L.(2017). 12 Pros and Cons of Technology. Retrieved July 7, 2021, from https://vittana.org/12-pros-and-cons-of-technology
Javaheri, H. (2011). WebWise news report – the web and young brains. Retrieved July 7, 2021, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/webwise/2011/08/news-report-web-and-young-brains.shtml
Ra, C.K., Cho, .J, Stone, M.D., et al. (2018) Association of digital media use with subsequent symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among adolescents. JAMA, 320(3), 255–263.
Ripon, M.M. (2020). Pros and cons of technology. Retrieved July 7, 2021, from https://thriveglobal.com/stories/pros-and-cons-of-technology/
Small, G. (2020). Brain health consequences of digital technology use. Dialogues In Clinical Neuroscience, 22(2), 179-187. https://doi.org/10.31887/dcns.2020.22.2/gsmall
Vogel, S. (2012). Do computers change the way we think? Retrieved July 7, 2021, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/webwise/2012/01/do-computers-change-the-way-we.shtml