Technological development has transformed society by making information the basis for various areas of human activity, increasing the importance of its creation and dissemination. The availability of different information due to digitalization significantly impacts individuals – not only their activities but also their personal life, socialization, health, and other aspects. Researchers continue to assess the scale of this influence by considering various related issues. Since digitalization has increased the flow of information that a person receives daily, it is crucial to consider the impact on human brain functioning.
The amount of information surrounding people increases exponentially, and its impact is contradictory. On the one hand, information exchange and digital communication provide solutions to many problems. For example, they make communication at long distances easier or promote scientific discoveries through global findings exchange. On the other hand, according to Sweller (2020), increasing the amount of data creates an overload for the human brain since, at specific levels of information processing, its cognitive abilities are limited (as cited in Ruiz-Ruano García & Puga, 2020). Moreover, the risk of obtaining false and contradictory information is constantly increasing, destabilizing perception (Ruiz-Ruano García & Puga, 2020). Such influence modifies the features of brain functioning, and it is necessary to study change’s potential benefits and disadvantages.
The negative impact of digitalization and the scale of changes in daily life they have brought attract more public attention. In particular, about 59% of the world’s population uses the Internet and, on average, spends more than six and a half hours online (Hoehe & Thibaut, 2020). This time spent with technology scares society and makes them pay attention to the harm caused. For example, there were concerns about mental disorders, in particular, an increase in the number of cases of depression, anxiety, and suicide (Hoehe & Thibaut, 2020). However, Hoehe and Thibaut (2020) note that technologies should not be characterized as bad or good since the effect depends on who uses them and how. As a result, the study of digitalization’s impact on the brain should also consider this human factor.
The possibility of both favorable and harmful effects on the brain of various activities in the information society can be significant for the younger generation. Their cognitive abilities are formed under the influence of external factors, and the features of the information and technologies used can improve or interfere with this process (Firth et al., 2019). Many researchers, such as Lime and Toto (2021) or Vedechkina and Borgonovi (2021), draw attention that the impact can be beneficial and harmful. For example, such negative consequences as reduced focus, risk of dependence on technology, impaired social and emotional intelligence, slower cognitive and brain development, social isolation, and sleep disorders can be highlighted (Small et al., 2020). However, the effect can be positive with careful technology and information selection. For example, neural activation of circuits responsible for decision-making, improved memory, cognition, multitasking skills, and response speed are possible (Small et al., 2020). These facts indicate the importance of responsible use of technology and consumption of information.
Digitalization affects and changes various aspects of brain functioning. For instance, Firth et al. (2019) highlight changes in attention, memory, and social cognition. In particular, streams of information from several sources contribute to the dispersion of attention. The constant availability of a large amount of data also affects how people memorize and extract knowledge (Firth et al., 2019). Finally, technology has changed the habits and norms of social interaction, affecting self-perception (Firth et al., 2019). At the same time, Firth et al. (2019) note that many aspects of the digitalization effect on the human brain have not yet been studied. However, the impact will only increase, given the speed of development and the spread of technology.
One can distinguish several critical aspects of the effect on the human brain. For example, information is provided continuously, but each source creates a unique design or header to attract the user (Firth et al., 2019). Attention, therefore, focuses more on short but more influential and emotional messages. Having become accustomed to this information form, the brain will have difficulty focusing on the long text and its understanding. Consequently, problems in focus and continuous distractions also affect the brain’s cognitive abilities (Firth et al., 2019). Moreover, the constant availability of information has reduced the need for memory, which may adversely affect this ability. Finally, social media replaced face-to-face meetings and communication and created additional manipulation opportunities. Therefore, the significance of the changes introduced by digitalization cannot be underestimated.
Thus, the study of the influence of digitalization in the information society on the human brain is relevant and essential. It can include a review of the main findings made by researchers, identifying key issues that have not received consensus, and determining future research directions. The study could also reveal key ways to benefit from digitalization and limit its negative impact on the brain. One can offer the following outline for the research paper:
References
Firth, J., Torous, J., Stubbs, B., Firth, J. A., Steiner, G. Z., Smith, L., Alvarez-Jimenez, M., Gleeson, J., Vancampfort, D., Armitage, C. J., & Sarris, J. (2019). The “online brain”: How the Internet may be changing our cognition. World Psychiatry, 18(2), 119-129.
Hoehe, M. R., & Thibaut, F. (2020). Going digital: How technology use may influence human brains and behavior . Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 22(2), 93–97.
Limone, P., & Toto, G. A. (2021). Psychological and emotional effects of digital technology on children in Covid-19 Pandemic. Brain Sciences, 11(9), 1-10.
Ruiz-Ruano García, A. M., & Puga, J. L. (2020). Some challenges for the human brain in communication with the digital society. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1-4.
Small, G. W., Lee, J., Kaufman, A., Jalil, J., Siddarth, P., Gaddipati, H., Moody, T. D., & Bookheimer, S. Y. (2020). Brain health consequences of digital technology use . Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 22(2), 179–187.
Sweller, J. (2020). Cognitive load theory and educational technology. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68(1), 1-16.
Vedechkina, M., & Borgonovi, F. (2021). A review of evidence on the role of digital technology in shaping attention and cognitive control in children. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 1-22.