Digital Technology in Human Life (DP IB Psychology): Revision Note

Digital technology

• Digital technology (DT) refers to any electronic device that creates, stores, processes, or shares data by converting real-world information into binary code (0s and 1s)

• Examples of DT include:

  • smartphones

  • the internet

  • computer games

  • social media platforms

• All of these technologies rely on cognitive processes such as working memory and attention

Digital natives vs digital immigrants

• Digital immigrants are people born before the rise of the internet and personal computers

• Digital natives are people born after digital technologies became widespread

• There are competing views about the use of technology:

  • View 1 (negative):

    • Digital natives rely too heavily on technology

    • Constant use may impair cognitive processes such as attention, focus, and memory

  • View 2 (positive):

    • Digital technologies can enhance cognitive processing for both digital natives and digital immigrants

    • Using technology may strengthen multitasking and information-handling skills

Challenges of research in this area

A rapidly changing world

• We live in an increasingly complex and fast-paced digital world

• Access to information has exploded — what once took hours or days now takes seconds online

• The digital age has created “hyperconnectedness”, meaning constant links to multiple forms of communication and information, e.g.,

  • email

  • online forums

  • blogs

  • dating sites

  • texting

  • social media

  • multiple-player computer games 

Multitasking and cognitive function

• Using multiple sources of information at once (e.g., scrolling on social media while watching TV) encourages multitasking

• Multitasking may improve:

  • attention switching

  • working memory capacity

  • cognitive flexibility

• These skills may be adaptive in modern life, where people often switch between tasks (e.g., several browser tabs open at once)

• Metacognition — thinking about how we think — can help people manage this task-switching more effectively and may further enhance cognitive functioning

Challenges for researchers

• Studying digital technology and behaviour presents unique difficulties:

  • Operationalising variables

    • How do we clearly define what we’re studying?

    • E.g., if investigating social media’s effect on mental health, what counts as “good” mental health?

  • Constantly evolving technology

    • The digital world changes so quickly that research can become outdated almost immediately

    • New apps, platforms, and devices appear weekly, changing how people interact with technology

  • Ethical and practical issues

    • Asking participants to spend long hours gaming could lead to dependency or addiction

    • Research on sensitive topics (e.g., social media and body image) requires careful handling to protect participants’ wellbeing