We long for answers about the effects of screens on kids, but these are elusive. There are legitimate reasons to be concerned about the effects of screens on kids (and the rest of us). Given how popular smartphones, gaming, streaming media, and social media are, these technologies are certainly worthy of researchers’ attention. We…
When it comes to how screens affect us, the “truth” doesn’t make the headlines. Finding what is true in this world is elusive. Ain’t that the truth? This is especially “true” when it comes to social sciences. Math is the only pure science in the sense that it offers certainties. For instance, 2 +…
I’m not ashamed to admit this (anymore), but I’m a geek. Ah, it feels so liberating to say it out loud (er, to type it)! Now, there are people out there who are geekier than me for sure, but I was geeky before it was “cool” (or at least mainstream). With the popularity of…
Let’s be honest. You don’t like to watch or listen to people blow their nose. The inverse is also true — people don’t want to see or hear you blow your nose either. This is especially the case at meals. But when we really need to blow our nose, we better do it, no…
As we get nearer to spring, and it starts to warm up, you will likely see moths and other insects on your porch or by your campfire. They seem to flutter about these lights pointlessly for hours on end. Often they die from the heat of these lights or from exhaustion. They waste their…
The use of our screens is getting out of hand. Of course, we all use our screens for many legitimate purposes (e.g., finding information, connecting with others, blogging), but we all have experienced the endless checking, scrolling, and YouTube wormholes that can suck up much of our time. Through the use of persuasive design…
“I was recently interviewed by Rebecca Muller of Thrive Global regarding why teens need to set some boundaries on group chats and how to do it. Rebecca pulled everything together well! Hopefully, some teens can make tweaks to group chats… Read more here.
The phone becomes almost like a parasite that quietly leeches away our happiness and productivity. The good news is that a more mindful use of our devices can yield big results. Check out my previous blog for information on the consequences of too much phone use.
There has recently been a call to attention on the consequences of phone use. For example, computer scientist, Georgetown professor, and author, Cal Newport recently wrote a New York Times op-ed titled, “Steve Jobs Never Wanted Us to Use Our iPhones Like This.” As the title implies, Newport argues that instead of using our…
If you are old enough, when you hear the term “The Wall,” you may think of Pink Floyd’s album and/or movie of the same name. Both of which are more pleasant than today’s connotations of “The Wall” (or the lack thereof). We are entering the fourth week of a government shutdown, the longest in…