Without a doubt, the internet is spreading rapidly throughout modern society, and the usage is increasing even more. It has changed the way we achieve information, connect with other people, and is essentially one of the many factors involved in achieving success in a world of innovation. However, scientists and internet users are beginning to question the affects of the internet on a neurological level. Is the internet affecting the way we think, act, and respond in our daily activities in a positive or negative way? There is new research to explain many peoples doubts and uncertainties about the new way in which we obtain information from the Web.
As a generation of “digital natives” mature, older generations must acclimate themselves to the new ways in which people live their lives. However, scientists doubt that the culture gap is due to the simple difference in age, and are more readily beginning to believe that the brains of our generation are actually different. UCLA neuroscientist Gary Small has developed his own belief on the issue. "Perhaps not since early man first discovered how to use a tool has the human brain been affected so quickly and so dramatically," Small asserts. "As the brain evolves and shifts its focus towards new technological skills, it drifts away from fundamental social skills." (1) Small also claims that the neurological changes are also most prevalent amongst these so-called “digital natives”. According to a brain scan, Small states that the Internet "appears to engage a greater extent of neural circuitry that is not activated during reading — but only in those with prior Internet experience." That being said, these brain changes appear to be a change in the positive direction for future generations. (1)
On a different note, Adam Gazzaley, a neuroscientist at the University of California, San Francisco, begs to differ. In his own words, “We are exposing our brains to an environment and asking them to do things we weren’t necessarily evolved to do,” he said. “We know already there are consequences.” However, Adam Gazzaley fails to include sufficient resource to his readers which shows that his research is inconclusive and leaves myself and other readers unconvinced. (2) Additionally, Gazzaley doesn’t consider other environmental factors that could affect our brains. He is simply making an assumption based on very little facts and has nothing supporting his claim. The only thing certain in his statement is that we are exposing our brains to an environment, but we are most certainly not putting our brains in harms way. If you think back to the thousands of years ago in past eras, men used their primitive and natural instincts to survive. Think of the way humans act today. Our brains have adapted to the changes due to environmental changes.
To further the idea that Small put forth, there was an experiment conducted at by the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA that revealed a result similar to Small’s belief that brain power is increased due to browsing the internet in an effective manner. The study evaluated 24 neurologically stable volunteers who were between the ages of 55 and 76, half of which used the internet regularly, and half did not. The people conducting the experiment monitored their brain-circuitry changes which is the blood that flows through their brains of the volunteers who regularly use the internet, and compared them to the other volunteers who do not. Not only did the experiment find that middle-aged and older individuals who spent time on the Web improve their brain power by doing so, but the results from the experiment predict that internet usage could potentially cognitive decline such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia at a later stage of life. (3)
Although many authors such as Nicholas Carr choose to believe that the internet is diminishing the attention span of teenagers and adults, including himself, there are most likely other reasons that contribute to a depleted level of concentration. Anything that is overused and abused can cause harm to a person, and an author is a likely person to be constantly using the internet. If a person uses the internet in a timely fashion, and does not spend countless hours browsing the web, there is no reasons for problematic issues to arise.
According to these various experts, there are many observations that differ regarding the affects of internet use on a neurological level. Despite the ideas from Gazzaley that claim that the internet is bound to trigger complications, this information was poorly supported and pales in comparison to the ideas from neuroscientists who have a sufficient amount of support stating the benefits of internet usage. A great amount of neuroscientists and experiment results explain that internet usage boosts brain power and essentially is advantageous to a person’s logic and thinking. Overall, the results indicate a positive future for the health of those who are involved and are affected by digital technology.
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