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katherine's picture

Computers and Emotions

I wrote my second web paper on the impact of computer use on children’s neurological development.  One of the reasons that experts are concerned about children’s increased computer use relates to our discussion this week about emotions.  Computer games or even subliminal images cause neurological reactions in humans.  Chemical responses to fear, anxiety, or excitement occur unconsciously in all humans and are impossible to control.  Hormones or chemicals such as adrenaline cause increased heart rate and muscle changes for the fight or flight response.  These responses can become an ingrained physical habit if one is repeatedly exposed to computer games--even educational games.  This is not just a problem with computers.  Our society is being inundated with technological developments each year.  It wasn’t that long ago that ipods didn’t exist, it was a novelty to have a cell phone, and the internet was new and exciting.  Because this technology requires humans to use different parts of their brains and triggers different chemical responses, I can’t help but wonder: How will this technology change how our society functions?   

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