1 This is your brain online: Parenting in the digital ageWebinar for the North Carolina Parenting Education Network Spring Forum April 22, 2016 Scott Becker, PhD, LP, Director, MSU Counseling Center

2 Your presenter: Dr. Scott BeckerBorn and raised in Ohio Father of two young children Director of the Michigan State University Counseling Center, LP in Michigan PhD in clinical psychology from Miami University of Ohio (1995) Doctoral internship at University of Notre Dame and Oaklawn Hospital For 20 years, worked in UCCs, CMHCs, and integrated health centers Specialties in trauma, grief and loss, multiculturalism, couples and family therapy, and qualitative/narrative research Digital technology paradigm developed over past four years

3 Overview Child development & neuroplasticity Addiction to technologyDepression Increased media exposure Emotional regulation Sleep Identity & relationships Attention, memory, & learning Empathy & narcissism Anxiety Implications

4 Child Development A brief overview

5 Cognitive developmentProceeds along relatively predictable stages Environmental inputs shape the breadth and depth, but development will occur in the absence of intentional input

6

7 Emotional developmentMore multifaceted and complex than cognitive development Non-linear (i.e. ages and stages are not as predictable) Will not develop without the appropriate environmental inputs Emotional development in humans cannot occur without input from other humans

8 Source: http://learning2breathe.org/about/purpose

9 The special case of teens

10 The special case of teensCognitive skills needed for successful emotion regulation: Working Memory Inhibitory Control Abstract Thought Decision Making Perspective Taking All of these are at peak development during adolescence.

11 http://blog. neurogistics. com/index

12 Developmental issues: Implications of digital technologySleep is critical to brain development Under-developed impulse control Under-developed judgment Beginning formal operations stage – black-or-white, dichotomous thinking Critical thinking is very difficult Heavily dependent on peers for identity development Non-conformity is almost impossible Rejection by peers during adolescence is like a threat to survival Internet culture undermines the weight of (parental) authority Best information = most popular information Authority is not defined by experience, wisdom, learning, credentials Very horizontal culture, a “sibling society” (Robert Bly) In a chaotic, threatening world (one with an uncertain future), the internet is a welcome distraction and escape (“friction-free”)

13 Neuroplasticity How the brain is constantly adapting to our environment

14 Neuroplasticity “…the brain is not the unchanging organ that we might imagine. [The brain is] substantially shaped by what we do to it and by the experience of daily life. When I say "shaped", I'm not talking figuratively or metaphorically; I'm talking literally. At a microcellular level, the infinitely complex network of nerve cells that make up the constituent parts of the brain actually change in response to certain experiences and stimuli.” “…the screen-based, two dimensional world that so many teenagers - and a growing number of adults - choose to inhabit is producing changes in behaviour. Attention spans are shorter, personal communication skills are reduced and there's a marked reduction in the ability to think abstractly.” - Susan Greenfield, Professor of Pharmacology, Oxford University (emphasis added)

15 Scope of the problem “This is an issue as important and unprecedented as climate change.” -Susan Greenfield

16 Increased Exposure to Media

17 Advent of social media Friendster 2002 MySpace 2003 Facebook 2004YouTube 2005 Twitter 2006

18

19 Linked in, checked out…

20 Increased media exposurealmost 50% of American Internet users have online social profiles (2010) time spent social networking was up 82% from previous years (2009) More than 100 million people access Facebook with their cell phones (2010) more Americans now than ever before report using television and the Internet simultaneously [i.e. multitasking] (2009) About 87 percent of American adults own a cell phone (2012). About 44 percent of those are smartphones. (9% increase in smartphone usage in one year.)

21 Increased media exposure29.9% of television-owning households in the United States now contain at least four televisions (2010) In 2010, television viewing reached an all-time high the average American is exposed to a 350% increase in total information outside of work than the average amount they experienced only 30 years ago (2010) “The amount of data humanity will collect while you’re reading [a book] is five times greater than the amount that exists in the entire Library of Congress. Anyone reading it will take in as much information today as Shakespeare took in over a lifetime.” Sarah Konrath; Also,

22 Increased media exposure among children and teens ”8- to 18-year-olds spend more time with media than in any other activity besides (maybe) sleeping” 2005: 6 hrs., 30 min. per day 8 hrs, 33 min. of media content (with multitasking) 2010: 7 hours, 30 min. per day, seven days/week 10 hours, 45 minutes of media content (with multitasking) per day, seven days/week an increase of almost 2¼ hours of media exposure per day over the past five years Rideout, V.J., Foehr, U.G., & Roberts, D.F. (2010). Generation M-squared: Media in the lives of 8- to 18-year-olds. A Kaiser Family Foundation Study, January 2010.

23 Prevalence of devices among teens - 201588% of US teens have access to a mobile phone. 73% of US teens have a smartphone. 85% of African-American teens 71% of white teens 71% of Hispanic teens 15% of US teens have a basic cellphone. 87% of US teens have or have access to a desktop or laptop computer 58% of US teens have or have access to a tablet

24 Media exposure among youth of colorA report from Northwestern University reveals that youth of color 8- to 18-years old consume an average of 4.5 more hours of media per day than their white counterparts. White: 8-1/2 hours Black, Latino and Asian: 13 hours During the past decade, black youths have doubled their daily media use, and Latino youths have quadrupled theirs, according to Ellen Wartella, co-author of the study. Released in June, “Children, Media and Race: Media Use Among White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian American Children” found that those between ages 8 and 18 use cellphones, television, computers and other electronic devices to consume an average of 13 hours of media content daily. That’s 4-1/2 hours more than their white counterparts. From:

25 Texting among teens 2009: “the average American teen now sends and receives around 1,500 text messages per month 2010: “a Nielson study reported that the average teen sends over three thousand text messages a month.” 2012: Newsweek reported that “The average teen processes an astonishing 3,700 texts a month.” Therefore, from , texting among teens increased by 147% Turkle, xiv

26 Teens online - frequency24% are online “almost constantly.” 56% go online several times a day. 12% go online once-a-day 6% go online weekly 2% go online less often than once a week. Source: Pew Research Center’s Teens, Social Media & Technology Report, 2015

27 Texting replacing talking (in the US)“…most Americans love texting and would rather send a text than make a call"   the average American makes or answers six phone calls per day, sends and receives 32 texts, and spends 14 minutes on chat smartphone users in nine of the 12 countries measured, spent the bulk of their time on chat/VOIP and the least amount texting. "Our report finds that smartphone users in the U.S. are spending about 26 minutes a day texting. In 75 percent of the other countries we measured, it's less than five minutes”

28 Texting vs. talking among teens and younger adults“For many youth, texting is as meaningful as calling.” “48% of the set and 47% of the group agreed that ‘texting is just as meaningful to me as an actual conversation on the phone.’” “Only 15% of 55+ respondents shared that sentiment.”

29 Why does this matter? Research (1985-present) indicates that 60% of human communication is non-verbal The non-verbal aspects of communication are largely controlled by the right hemisphere of the brain Eye contact Intonation Prosody Body language

30 Why does this matter? Non-verbal aspects of communication are essential for mature emotion regulation Adolescence is critical phase for development of adaptive emotion regulation Adaptive emotion regulation has long-term implications for: Future regulatory success (i.e. planning, goal achievement Mental health

31 Left brain vs. right brain

32 The lopsided brain The right side of the brain supports cognitive function, such as memory, attention, thinking, emotions, and processing of ideas. On the other hand, the left hemisphere of the brain is linked to logic and reasoning. According to Byun Gi-won, due to overuse of digital devices, the left brain tends to get overworked, while the right brain is hardly utilized. This under utilization of specific regions of the brain over time can cause memory problems, leading to symptoms of digital dementia. Read more at Buzzle:

33 Digital Dementia Researchers in South Korea and Germany have identified a significant pattern of right-brain deficits (atrophy) among frequent users ‘Over-use of smartphones and game devices hampers the balanced development of the brain,’ Byun Gi-won, MD, the Balance Brain Centre in Seoul, South Korea “The more you train kids with computer games, the more attention deficit you get.” – Manfred Spitzer “The more time you spend with screen media … the less your social skills will be.” – Manfred Spitzer Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article /Digital-dementia-rise-young-people-increasingly-rely-technology-instead-brain.html#ixzz3nX1Bn4wx  Follow on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

34 Changes occur very quicklyIn a UCLA study, experienced web users displayed fundamentally different neural structures in the pre-frontal cortex Novice users displayed similar changes after only five hours of internet use over the course of one week “The naïve subjects had already rewired their brains.”

35 Behavioral correlates“Taken together, [studies show] internet addiction is associated with structural and functional changes in brain regions involving emotional processing, executive attention, decision making, and cognitive control.”   research authors summarizing neuro-imaging findings in internet and gaming addiction (Lin & Zhou et al, 2012) “As a practitioner, I observe that many of the children I see suffer from sensory overload, lack of restorative sleep, and a hyperaroused nervous system, regardless of diagnosis— what I call electronic screen syndrome. These children are impulsive, moody, and can’t pay attention --much like the description in the quote above describing damage seen in scans.”   Victoria Dunckley, M.D., integrative child and adolescent psychiatrist specializing in treating children with complex diagnoses and/or treatment-resistant conditions

36 Sleep

37 Sleep requirements for healthy functioningThe average 5-year old needs 11 hours/day The average 9-year old needs 10 hours/day The average 13-year old needs 9 hours/day The average adult needs 7-9 hours/day

38 Rensselaer sleep studyusing an electronic gadget with a backlit display for just two hours can affect melatonin levels and cause sleep problems, particularly in teens. Scientists made teens wear special goggles to monitor the effects. Read more: Follow on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook (Image from the Lighting Research Center at RPI)

39 Sleep study: Rensselaer Polytechnic“…a two-hour exposure to light from self-luminous electronic displays can suppress melatonin by about 22 percent.” “'To produce white light, these electronic devices must emit light at short wavelengths, which makes them potential sources for suppressing or delaying the onset of melatonin in the evening, reducing sleep duration and disrupting sleep. 'This is particularly worrisome in populations such as young adults and adolescents, who already tend to be night owls.‘” “the glow of screens from TVs, computers, phones and tablets could be stopping us sleeping at night. …devices should not be used for more than an hour, and screens should be dimmed.” Mariana Figueiro, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

40 Effect of wireless on sleepThe radio frequency wave energy [884 MHZ] that comes from mobile phones leads to enhanced insomnia, headaches and concentration difficulties. The researchers concluded that those who were exposed to the radio frequency took longer to fall asleep and did not sleep as well throughout the night. Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan and researchers in Sweden. The study followed 35 men and 36 women between the ages of 18 and 45 for 18 months. During the experiment, there were two groups of people, who were either exposed to 884 MHZ wireless signals or no radio frequency.

41 Where are our phones when we sleep?68% next to bed / within reach 13% in a different room 16% in bedroom but out of reach 1% in the car 2% other Source: 2012 Time/Qualcomm poll

42 Attention and concentration“Researchers in the new field of interruption science have found that it takes an average of twenty-five minutes to recover from a phone call. Yet such interruptions come every eleven minutes — which means we’re never caught up with our lives.” The average American attention span has decreased from 12 seconds (in the year 2000) to 8 seconds (in 2013). This is one second shorter than the attention span of a goldfish.

43 Multitasking during homework“Although the students had been told at the outset that they should “study something important, including homework, an upcoming examination or project, or reading a book for a course,” it wasn’t long before their attention drifted: Students’ “on- task behavior” started declining around the two- minute mark as they began responding to arriving texts or checking their Facebook feeds. By the time the 15 minutes were up, they had spent only about 65 percent of the [time] actually doing their schoolwork.” Paul, A.M. (2013). You’ll Never Learn!: Students can’t resist multitasking, and it’s impairing their memory. Slate. Friday, May 3, 2013.

44 Multitasking and learning…the assignment takes longer to complete, because of the time spent on distracting activities and because, upon returning to the assignment, the student has to refamiliarize himself with the material. mental fatigue leads to more mistakes. Cost is especially high when students alternate between tasks that call for different sets of expressive “rules”—the formal, precise language required for an English essay, for example, and the casual, friendly tone of an to a friend. Third, students’ subsequent memory of what they’re working on will be impaired if their attention is divided. Students who multitask on laptops in class distract no just themselves but also their peers who see what they’re doing.

45 The importance of downtimePlay is not an option... For kids it is a developmental necessity What do kids learn from play? Independence Problem solving Social cues Bravery Empathy Fine/gross motor skills Improved eyesight Abstract reasoning Creativity Joy, laughter, fun They learn to love life when it is good, and how to cope with life when it is hard.

46 The importance of downtimeFor adults, downtime continues to be a necessity What do adults get from play? Replenished stores of attention and motivation Increased productivity and creativity Increased performance Freedom from time so we can learn from the past and plan for the future Identity formation and maintenance Increased understanding of human behavior Development, maintenance, and refinement of code of ethics Increased problem solving…epiphanies/”aha” moments Decreased stress/anxiety/depression Increased energy/vitality/wellness

47 The “default mode network”: the value of downtime for reverie and reflection“…we replay conversations we had earlier that day, rewriting our verbal blunders as a way of learning to avoid them in the future. We craft fictional dialogue to practice standing up to someone who intimidates us or to reap the satisfaction of an imaginary harangue against someone who wronged us. We shuffle through all those neglected mental post-it notes listing half-finished projects and we mull over the aspects of our lives with which we are most dissatisfied, searching for solutions. We sink into scenes from childhood and catapult ourselves into different hypothetical futures. And we subject ourselves to a kind of moral performance review, questioning how we have treated others lately. These moments of introspection are also one way we form a sense of self, ”swivel its powers of reflection away from the external world toward itself. ” --Ferris Jabr in Scientific American, 2013

48 Identity and RelationshipsImage: mayocinic.org

49 Impact of social media and cell phonesReduced emotional intimacy Turkle study of cell phones in sight during a conversation Reduced time in face-to-face conversation Increased social anxiety Fragmentation and diffusion of identity False sense of social connection – “friends” versus actual friends

50 Social media: “Alone together”

51 Fear of intimacy “These days, insecure in our relationships and anxious about intimacy, we look to technology for ways to be in relationships and protect ourselves from them at the same time.” “We bend to the inanimate with new solicitude. We fear the risks and disappointments of relationships with our fellow humans. We expect more from technology and less from each other.” —Turkle, Alone Together, p. xii Turkle, xii

52 Identity: escape into virtual reality“The advertising for Second Life, a virtual world here you get to build an avatar, a house, a family, and a social life, basically says, ‘Finally, a place to love your body, love your friends, and love your life.’” - Sherry Turkle, Alone Together Turkle, 1

53 Those affected tend to avoid:Direct interpersonal contact, including: Eye contact Phone conversations Emotional intimacy Conflict (e.g. break-ups via texting) Help-seeking Thoughtful reflection (considering alternative actions, reasons for their own behavior or the behavior of others, pausing to ask “why”) Putting on the emotional brakes – de-escalate, relax, calm down, self-soothe

54 Implications for resilienceDecreased capacity for: impulse control emotion regulation and distress tolerance Help-seeking and social support Imagination, symbolism, metaphor, meaning, dreaming Perspective-taking (vs. narcissism, solipsism) Self-reflection Mature self-concept and relatedness Note: those who have developed these capacities may paradoxically find themselves feeling socially isolated, without a relatable peer group

55 Empathy

56 Decreased empathy …college students' self-reported empathy levels (as measured by the Interpersonal Reactivity Index…have been in steady decline over the past three decades… A particularly pronounced slump has been observed over the past 10 years. "College kids today are about 40 percent lower in empathy than their counterparts of 20 or 30 years ago," Konrath reports. More worrisome still, according to Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University, is that, during this same period, students' self-reported narcissism levels have shot through the roof. "Many people see the current group of college students, sometimes called 'Generation Me,' " Konrath continues, "as one of the most self- centered, narcissistic, competitive, confident, and individualistic in recent history." “In fact, in a survey that has so far tested 14,000 volunteers, Sara Konrath and her team at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research has found that

57 Atrophy of the insula “A finding of particular concern was damage to an area known is the insula, which is involved in our capacity to develop empathy and compassion for others and our ability to integrate physical signals with emotion. Aside from the obvious link to violent behavior, these skills dictate the depth and quality of personal relationships.” Victoria Dunckley, 2014   

58 USC study: Processing speed and empathy“…higher emotions emerge from neural processes that ‘are inherently slow.’” Empathy for physical pain is almost instantaneous. Empathy for emotional suffering “unfolds much more slowly.” “The more distracted we become, the less able we are to experience the subtlest, most distinctively human forms of empathy, compassion, and other emotions.” “If things are happening too fast, you may not ever fully experience emotions about other people’s psychological states.” Carr, 2011, p. 221 regarding USC study by Brain and Creativity Institute

59 Talking about ourselves“On average, people spend 60% of conversations talking about themselves—and this figure jumps to 80% when communicating via social media platforms such as Twitter or Facebook.” “Social media activates self-related thoughts in the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC)” Also activates parts of the mesolimbic dopamine system. “These newly implicated areas of the brain are generally associated with reward, and have been linked to the pleasurable feelings and motivational states associated with stimuli such as sex, cocaine, and good food.” “people may be motivated to talk about themselves more than other topics (no matter how interesting or important these non-self topics may be).” (from Scientific American, “The neuroscience of everybody’s favorite topic – themselves”)

60 University of Winnipeg: The “shallowing hypothesis”“those who texted more than 100 times a day were 30 per cent less likely to feel strongly that leading an ethical, principled life was important to them, compared to those who kept their texting to 50 times a day or less.”  “heavy texting was also associated with higher levels of ethnic prejudice”. “new information and social media technologies may be displacing and discouraging reflective thought,” said Dr. Paul Trapnell. Gibson, S. (2013). University of Winnipeg study links hard-core texting with shallow behaviour. Metro News, April 11, 2013 2,300 introduction to psychology students

61 Implications for suicide and homicideIsolation  desperation Virtual connection  emotional distancing (or even functional psychopathy) Both suicide and homicide have an implicit fantasy of being “seen” (i.e., existing, mattering to others), of overcoming a profound existential sense of being invisible, and of gaining virtual immortality (albeit by infamy)

62 Those most affected are more likely to feel:restless, agitated, or bored lonely, isolated, invisible, ignored (i.e., a lack of social support or caring from others) depressed or hopeless tense, stressed, overwhelmed socially anxious and avoidant self-centered or narcissistic a lack of empathy or compassion toward others a lack respect for rules, limits, and authority

63 Those most affected are more likely to engage in:impulsive behavior (online spending, gambling, “Tweeting”) reckless or thrill-seeking behavior (speeding, couch-burning) impersonal or casual sexual encounters (sexting, Tinder, Grindr, #AfterSex, Lulu, Hot or Not, OkCupid, MSU ap for “hook-ups”) use of illicit or prescription drugs to alter their mood self-injurious behavior such as cutting and burning suicidal behavior aggressive or homicidal behavior, including online bullying

64 Replace screen-time with face-to-face timeTexting, posting, even Skype and FaceTime do not replace in-person conversation Beware the mere presence of the device when talking (e.g., Turkle’s research) Put the phone away, leave it in the car, turn off alerts Schedule time to just talk Seek out more meaningful topics – be deliberately more honest, real, vulnerable, curious Make eye contact – seek to connect and understand Listen, empathize, mirror visually and verbally, imagine the other person’s experience Breathe, notice your physical and emotional reactions to the other person

65 Teaching young people about social mediaDiscuss consequences of social media Cyberbullying – both as bully and victim bullycide Loss of emotional connection and support Difference between Friending and being actual friends Unreality of social media profiles – false persona Self-esteem based on likes and hits Everything on the internet is essentially permanent Consequences for future relationships, jobs Teach the value of face-to-face conversation Non-verbal communication Learning to read others’ emotions Learning to regulate and express one’s own emotions

66 Other issues: Sleep and Addiction

67 Addiction “I clearly am addicted and the dependency is sickening.”“Media is my drug.” Students in an “Unplugged” study at the University of Maryland “I am unable to focus on anything in a deep and detailed manner. The only thing my mind wants to do…is plug back into that distracted, frenzied blitz of online information.” This despite the fact that “the happiest and most fulfilled times of my life involved a prolonged separation from the internet.” College senior writing to Nicholas Carr, author of The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains

68 “iDisorder” 750 teens and adults were studiedMost respondents check text messages, or social media “every 15 minutes” or “all the time.” Exceptions: people over 50

69 Addiction and neurophysiologyfMRIs of addicted users indicate: Our brains are being rewired. Heavy web users have fundamentally altered prefrontal cortexes. The brains of internet addicts look like the brains of drug and alcohol addicts. Frequent dopamine bursts from digital messages lead to erosion of dopamine receptors over time.

70 So…Now what?

72 Obstacles to unpluggingPeer pressure and FOMO (belief that social media = social life) Fear that unplugging is becoming a hermit Work culture is now largely defined by digital technology Instant responses Frequent, random interruptions “24-hour” workday “…some businesses and other organizations have begun asking, and in some cases demanding, that employees not check their office on weekends.” - (Powers, 2010, p. 102) Addiction to technology Intermittent reinforcement Dopamine bursts Ubiquity – the Internet is (almost) everywhere

73 Before deciding to find a different balanceConduct a “fearless and searching moral inventory” Reflect on the multiple roles that digital technology plays in your life Who, what, when, where, how, and above all why you use it Evaluate which areas are required and which ones are negotiable For each context, decide whether your use is conscious, deliberate, necessary, and adds value to your life Or whether it is habitual, automatic, unnecessary, and either fails to add value or actually detracts from your productivity, relatedness, satisfaction, and enjoyment Read about the negative impact of digital technology and social media Seek out social support – don’t attempt to make a change in isolation Recognize that you are stepping out of the mainstream, creating a counter-culture

74 Swimming against the current“We can allow ourselves to be carried along by the technological current, wherever it may be taking us, or we can push against it.” --Nicholas Carr, The glass cage: How our computers are changing us, p. 231

75 Unplugging – tips and strategiesWebinar – “(Dis)connection: Finding a more balanced use of digital technology and social media” https://mediaspace.msu.edu/media/t/1_e0kpr yw7

76 What you can do: Suggested strategies for unpluggingFind a small group of like-minded people Stop using your devices 1-2 hours before sleep Use a dimmer setting on your device (e.g., Twilight ap) Sleep away from your phone Work/study away from your phone Turn off your when studying Turn off alert messages on your devices Schedule specific times to check messages Take breaks – stand up every 30 minutes, stretch, move your body

77 Parenting Interrupted/fragmented parenting impacts brain development (UC-Irvine study) Form a parents coalition – your children will resent you less if their friends also have restrictions Device as babysitter Model good behavior Importance of family conversation Consider no devices for anyone in the car, at the dinner table, in the bedroom One screen at a time – no texting while watching TV, etc. Teach the value of boredom Talk about the good-old-days Anticipate being resented https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HbYScltf1c

78 The Internet is “Totalitarian”“You could cooperate with the system or you could oppose it, but the one thing you could never do, whether you were enjoying a secure and pleasant life or sitting in a prison, was not be in relation to it. The answer to every question large or small was socialism. If you substituted networks for socialism, you got the Internet.” --Jonathan Franzen, Purity (emphasis added)

79 Websites and Organizations “We are more globally connected than ever before, but life in the digital age is far from ideal. The average American spends more than half of their waking life staring at a screen. The negative psychological, social and cultural impact is real. Things need to change.“ teens-and-digital-monitoring/ (March 4-5, 2016) “Cell-phone sleeping bag” shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing: The value of nature pine-forest-and-call-me-morning

80 Screen-dimming applicationsnights-sleep-filtering-phones-blue-light/ e /Want-good-night-s-sleep- Change-phone-s-blue-light-RED-Apps- claim-able-improve-rest.html

81 Bibliography Konrath, S.H., O’Brien, E.H., & Hsing, C. (2011). Changes in dispositional empathy in American college students over time: A meta-analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 15(2), Konrath, S., Bushman, B.J., &Campbell, W.K. (2006). Attenuating the link between threatened egotism and aggression. Psychological Science 17(11), Dutton, K. (2012). Psychopathy’s double edge. The Chronicle Review, October 22, 2012. Paul, A.M. (2013). You’ll Never Learn!: Students can’t resist multitasking, and it’s impairing their memory. Slate. Friday, May 3, ing_divided_attention_and_technological_gadgets.html

82 Bibliography continued Carr, N. (2011). The shallows: What the internet is doing to our brains. NY: W.W. Norton & Co. Drew Dzwonkowski, 04/14/13, The State News your-ing-phone Gibson, S. (2013). University of Winnipeg study links hard-core texting with shallow behaviour. Metro News, April 11, 2013 sity-of-winnipeg-study-links-hard-core-texting- with-shallow-behaviour/ Support/NAMI_on_Campus1/collegereport.pdf

83 Bibliography continuedRideout, V.J., Foehr, U.G., & Roberts, D.F. (2010). Generation M-squared: Media in the lives of 8- to 18-year-olds. A Kaiser Family Foundation Study, January /04/8010.pdf resentation Fields, R.D. (2008). White matter. Scientific American. March 2008. Turkle, S. (2011). Alone together: Why we expect more from technology and less from each other. NY: Basic Books. cell-phones-affect-sleep

84 Bibliography continued“Sight” a short film Greenfield, S. (2013). Modern technology is changing the way our brains work, says neuroscientist. Daily Mail, June 11, Adapted from ID: The Quest For Identity In The 21st Century by Susan Greenfield, to be published by Sceptre Patoine, B. (2008). Brain Development in a Hyper- Tech World. Dana Foundation. Kieffer, A.K. (2013). Technology and brain development. Southern Oregon University. https://sites.google.com/a/sou.edu/amykatharine/p

85 Discussion

86 The “biliterate brain”“Neuroscience, in fact, has revealed that humans use different parts of the brain when reading from a piece of paper or from a screen. So the more you read on screens, the more your mind shifts towards "non-linear" reading — a practice that involves things like skimming a screen or having your eyes dart around a web page.” T.J. Raphael “The reading circuit’s very plasticity is also its Achilles’ heel. It can be fully fashioned over time and fully implemented when we read, or it can be short-circuited—either early on in its formation period or later, after its formation, in the execution of only part of its potentially available cognitive resources.” Maryanne Wolf, Tufts University

87 The “biliterate brain”“Humans, [cognitive neuroscientists] warn, seem to be developing digital brains with new circuits for skimming through the torrent of information online. This alternative way of reading is competing with traditional deep reading circuitry developed over several millennia.” “[Maryanne] Wolf, one of the world’s foremost experts on the study of reading, was startled last year to discover her brain was apparently adapting, too. After a day of scrolling through the Web and hundreds of s, she sat down one evening to read Hermann Hesse’s The Glass Bead Game. ‘I’m not kidding: I couldn’t do it,’ she said. ‘It was torture getting through the first page. I couldn’t force myself to slow down so that I wasn’t skimming, picking out key words, organizing my eye movements to generate the most information at the highest speed. I was so disgusted with myself.’” https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/serious-reading-takes-a-hit-from-online-scanning-and-skimming-researchers-say/2014/04/06/088028d2-b5d2-11e3-b de76985_story.html

88 “Nonlinear reading” “The Internet is different. With so much information, hyperlinked text, videos alongside words and interactivity everywhere, our brains form shortcuts to deal with it all — scanning, searching for key words, scrolling up and down quickly. This is nonlinear reading, and it has been documented in academic studies. Some researchers believe that for many people, this style of reading is beginning to invade when dealing with other mediums as well.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/serious-reading-takes-a-hit-from-online-scanning-and-skimming-researchers-say/2014/04/06/088028d2-b5d2-11e3-b de76985_story.html

89 Deep vs. shallow reading“The omnipresence of multiple distractions for attention—and the brain’s own natural attraction to novelty—contribute to a mindset toward reading that seeks to reduce information to its lowest conceptual denominator. Sound bites, text bites, and mind bites are a reflection of a culture that has forgotten or become too distracted by and too drawn to the next piece of new information to allow itself time to think.” - Maryanne Wolf, “Our ‘Deep Reading’ Brain”

90 Tips for Educators Unplug Teach literacy offlineEncourage awareness of and reflection on the digital world Creativity includes both hemispheres Dialogue Empathy Deep memory Synthesis (not just analysis) Imagination (dreams, fantasies, lateral thinking, crystallized insights, e.g., Oliver Sacks research)

91 Tips for Educators Don’t assume computer literacy (ease of use does not equal understanding or expertise) Teach research skills beyond Google and cut- and-paste Analysis of the source (authority vs. popularity) Hypothesis formation Confirming and disconfirming evidence Multiple ways of knowing Encourage boredom Teach active listening (eye contact, reflection, empathy, compassion, perspective-taking)

92 Tips for Educators Value of non-technical knowledgeArts, humanities Teach the value of emotion, frustration, struggle, failure, compassion, community, sensation, perception, the body, patience, reflection, dialogue, downtime, nature, passive receptivity, sitting still, meditation, mindfulness

93 Three generations https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=nature+vall ey+three+generations+video&ei=UTF- 8&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-004