Scivillage.com Casual Discussion Science Forum

I have a theory that every form of advanced technology exacts a certain toll on the human psyche--a sort of psychosis or mental derangement if taken too far. We know all too well the effect of TV on the human attention span. ADHD anybody? Cameras in turn trigger a sort of voyeuristic detachment of ourselves from our environment. Driving on the other hand may give rise to road rage. Cell phone addiction and texting obsession is a popular topic of conversation nowadays. There's studies on the effects of guns on violence. And the internet is spawning a new bullying troll mentality in our modern society. Affirm the latest technology folks. But beware of its effects in assimilating us into a mechanistic and inhuman dysfunctionality.

No, each new technological advance is just a new playground for existing mental disorders. The technology doesn't create disorders. This is demonstrated by all the people who use those technologies but never fall prey to ADHD, dissociation, road rage, etc..

But I can see why any Luddite would like to think so.

(Aug 29, 2018 08:43 PM)Syne Wrote: [ -> ]No, each new technological advance is just a new playground for existing mental disorders. The technology doesn't create disorders. This is demonstrated by all the people who use those technologies but never fall prey to ADHD, dissociation, road rage, etc..

But I can see why any Luddite would like to think so.

Right..people had road rage problems before they ever drove a car. People had addiction problems to cell phones before they got their cell phones. People had ADHD before they ever watched TV: http://people.cas.sc.edu/dubinsk/Ling300...s.2004.pdf

You're an idiot.

No, they had poor impulse control, addictive personalities, and, yes, ADHD:

ADHD was first mentioned in 1902. British pediatrician Sir George Still described “an abnormal defect of moral control in children.” He found that some affected children could not control their behavior the way a typical child would, but they were still intelligent.
- https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/history#1902


The contemporary concept of ADHD as defined in the DSM-IV-TR (American Psychiatric Association 2000) is relatively new. However, an analysis of historical literature suggests that children presenting with symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity have previously been described by several authors during the last 200 years. The clinical characterizations, underlying concepts, and nomenclature of the described dysfunctions have changed over the time. Many of the historical descriptions are, however, consistent with the modern diagnostic criteria for ADHD.
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3000907/


Research does not support popular beliefs that ADHD is caused by eating too much refined sugar, watching too much television, parenting, poverty or family chaos; however, they might worsen ADHD symptoms in certain people.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_...nvironment


The lead researcher, Dimitri Christakis, M.D. [you know, from your cited study], an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington and co-director of the school’s Institute for Child Health, admits that his study was limited.

For one, the study linked TV viewing to general attention problems, rather than to diagnosed ADHD. Study participants were never asked whether their children had ADHD. Instead, the study tracked five kinds of attention difficulties, including “obsessive concerns” and “confusion,” neither of which are core ADHD symptoms.

Secondly, the study did not consider the kinds of programs children watched. Educational programs, such as Blue’s Clues or Mr. Rogers, which have a slower pace, rely on storytelling, and avoid rapid zooms, abrupt cuts, and jarring noises, weren’t differentiated from more aggressive programming. Neither did the researchers consider whether TV viewing and attention difficulties presented a chicken-or-egg situation. Some critics suggest that younger children with pre-existing attention deficits may be drawn to watching TV, while solving simple puzzles or concentrating on games would pose a challenge. They add that parents of these children might turn to the TV for relief more frequently than do parents of kids who have less trouble staying focused.

The bottom line on TV: Cancel the guilt trip. [b]Plenty of kids who watch little or no TV are diagnosed with ADHD, and an abundance of evidence points to a genetic connection. The researchers themselves stated that, based on their findings, TV does not cause ADHD.[/b]
- https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-and-tv/

So before you sling ad hominems, moron, maybe you should check what your own sources actually say...instead of just assuming they affirm your ignorant bias.

(Aug 29, 2018 11:13 PM)Syne Wrote: [ -> ]No, they had poor impulse control, addictive personalities, and, yes, ADHD:

ADHD was first mentioned in 1902. British pediatrician Sir George Still described “an abnormal defect of moral control in children.” He found that some affected children could not control their behavior the way a typical child would, but they were still intelligent.
- https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/history#1902


The contemporary concept of ADHD as defined in the DSM-IV-TR (American Psychiatric Association 2000) is relatively new. However, an analysis of historical literature suggests that children presenting with symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity have previously been described by several authors during the last 200 years. The clinical characterizations, underlying concepts, and nomenclature of the described dysfunctions have changed over the time. Many of the historical descriptions are, however, consistent with the modern diagnostic criteria for ADHD.
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3000907/


Research does not support popular beliefs that ADHD is caused by eating too much refined sugar, watching too much television, parenting, poverty or family chaos; however, they might worsen ADHD symptoms in certain people.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_...nvironment


The lead researcher, Dimitri Christakis, M.D. [you know, from your cited study], an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington and co-director of the school’s Institute for Child Health, admits that his study was limited.

For one, the study linked TV viewing to general attention problems, rather than to diagnosed ADHD. Study participants were never asked whether their children had ADHD. Instead, the study tracked five kinds of attention difficulties, including “obsessive concerns” and “confusion,” neither of which are core ADHD symptoms.

Secondly, the study did not consider the kinds of programs children watched. Educational programs, such as Blue’s Clues or Mr. Rogers, which have a slower pace, rely on storytelling, and avoid rapid zooms, abrupt cuts, and jarring noises, weren’t differentiated from more aggressive programming. Neither did the researchers consider whether TV viewing and attention difficulties presented a chicken-or-egg situation. Some critics suggest that younger children with pre-existing attention deficits may be drawn to watching TV, while solving simple puzzles or concentrating on games would pose a challenge. They add that parents of these children might turn to the TV for relief more frequently than do parents of kids who have less trouble staying focused.

The bottom line on TV: Cancel the guilt trip. [b]Plenty of kids who watch little or no TV are diagnosed with ADHD, and an abundance of evidence points to a genetic connection. The researchers themselves stated that, based on their findings, TV does not cause ADHD.[/b]
- https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-and-tv/

So before you sling ad hominems, moron, maybe you should check what your own sources actually say...instead of just assuming they affirm your ignorant bias.

Attention problems, attention deficits, shortened attention spans, focusing issues---all the same sorts of symptoms proven by this study and many others to be caused by television.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/stu...cle560503/

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/co...ocal+token

https://www.oregon.gov/osl/LD/youthsvcs/...onspan.pdf

https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/...key=117789

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaped...cle/570369

https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/09/12...57849.html

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-gal...68862.html

https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/growth-...anges-kids

https://academic.oup.com/jpepsy/article/...48/1007079

https://www.keene.edu/news/stories/detai...877810818/

Sinking in yet...idiot?

(Aug 30, 2018 12:05 AM)Magical Realist Wrote: [ -> ]Attention problems, attention deficits, shortened attention spans, focusing issues---all the same sorts of symptoms proven by this study and many others to be caused by television.

Aww, you already forgot that your claim was about ADHD.

Quote:https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/stu...cle560503/

"Dr. Gentile said the analysis did not look at whether the children had formal diagnoses of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, but their antsy behaviours "are the things that would get a child referred to the school psychologist to get tested for an attention problem."

Dimitri Christakis [remember that guy?], director of the Center for Child Health, Behaviour and Development at Seattle Children's Hospital, said worries about the possible effects on children's attentiveness have been around for decades, beginning with the advent of TV programs aimed specifically at kids.

Scientific evidence has been inconclusive, he [Christakis] said, with various studies producing conflicting results."

Quote:http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/co...ocal+token

No mention of ADHD.

Quote:https://www.oregon.gov/osl/LD/youthsvcs/...onspan.pdf

"Background noise may disrupt play and stop children from developing attention spans according to new research, leading to increased risk of behavioral issues like Attention Deficit Disorder."

Supposition indicated by "may" and "risk". Nothing definitive about ADHD.

Quote:https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/...key=117789

""Content matters," he said. His own research found that the faster-paced shows increased the risk of attention problems. Why? "You prime the mind to accept that pace. Real life doesn't happen fast enough to keep your attention."

Elkind also pointed out that, "it makes a difference what kind of show or computer games the child is playing." Shooting games, for instance, are different than problem-solving computer games.

The study should have accounted for these variables, he said."

IOW, they didn't. And modern humans live in a much faster paced world than ever before.

Quote:https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaped...cle/570369

No diagnosed ADHD.

Quote:https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/09/12...57849.html

No mention of ADHD. Again, only the pace of stimuli, not the manner of stimuli itself.

Quote:https://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-gal...68862.html

"While there may be no long-term research on the impact of digital technology on children’s attention spans and persistence, there is enough evidence to take this issue quite seriously."

Again, no mention of ADHD.

Quote:https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/growth-...anges-kids

No mention of ADHD.

Quote:https://academic.oup.com/jpepsy/article/...48/1007079

"Abstract
Conclusions...However, it remains unclear as to whether elevated levels of television viewing are the cause or result of ADHD symptoms."
Same chicken or egg problem mentioned in an article I cited.

Quote:https://www.keene.edu/news/stories/detai...877810818/

No mention of ADHD.

Quote:Sinking in yet...idiot?

Sinking in yet, confirmation-seeking, scientific-illiterate? O_o

LOL! That's all you got?

Like I said, attention problems, shortened attention spans, attention deficits, and focusing issues all linked to television viewing AND supporting that original 2004 study. A substantial body of irrefuted evidence of TV's deleterious effect on human attention in line with my original thesis. Oh and here's an article explaining how TV does it. It's called "involuntary attention:...

"And that is how watching television effects the brainwaves. The frequent “formal features” such as camera cuts and zooms, trigger the viewer’s “orienting response” over and over again. The result is a brain that is alert, but not focused. The greater the frequency of these formal features, the fewer the number of fast brainwaves, the less focused the mind.

Note: the Orienting Response has been a natural part of human (and mammalian) history for millennium. But this is the first time in the history of humankind where people are spending large amounts of time having their Orienting Response evoked continually every 3 to 10 seconds for hours on end. What are the effects on the mind and brain – particularly on the brains of young children?"

https://tvsmarter.wordpress.com/2009/02/...rainwaves/

Another in your long list of links that doesn't even mention ADHD...your original claim.
Now you're just trying to move the goal post through sheer repetition because you're butt-hurt. You got insulting but ended up making yourself the fool. There's no redeeming yourself now. I can just keep quoting your original claim to keep proving you're an intellectually dishonest asshat.

(Aug 29, 2018 09:51 PM)Magical Realist Wrote: [ -> ]Right..people had road rage problems before they ever drove a car. People had addiction problems to cell phones before they got their cell phones. People had ADHD before they ever watched TV: http://people.cas.sc.edu/dubinsk/Ling300...s.2004.pdf

You're an idiot.

LOL! In other words, you got nothing. You are an idiot.

(Aug 30, 2018 02:47 AM)Magical Realist Wrote: [ -> ]LOL! In other words, you got nothing. You are an idiot.

Their your own words, man. If you can't back them up, don't use them. Simple enough for any reasonable adult.

So now all we're going to get from you is a little whining tantrum.