Mar 5, 2018 08:44 PM
(This post was last modified: Mar 5, 2018 08:45 PM by C C.)
How landline phones made us happy and connected
https://theconversation.com/how-landline...cted-92662
EXCERPT: Smartphones and the internet have revolutionised society, commerce, and politics, reshaping how we work and play, and how our brains are wired. They have even revolutionised how revolutions are made.
For enthusiasts, these technologies enhance freedom and democratise the flow of information, putting more power in the hands of people to generate political change. In the aftermath of the Parkland shooting, high school students have used social media to provoke a public debate about guns in the United States. However, detractors counter that social media and the internet foster “slactivism”: weak, low-effort commitments that do little more than make users feel better.
It’s difficult to evaluate today’s communication technologies unless we understand how people communicated in the past. My own research looks back at how political activists used the phone in the years before the mobile phone revolution, using the records of activist groups and interviews to find out how phone talk shaped what they did and how well they did it.
The results higlight how important phone calls were in fostering a sense of community, intimacy and connection. This suggests that we have lost as much as we have gained with our high-tech gizmos....
MORE: https://theconversation.com/how-landline...cted-92662
Yes the 'cheerleader effect' is real – and you can make it work in your favour
https://theconversation.com/yes-the-chee...vour-92501
EXCERPT: When it comes to presenting yourself online – such as your profile pic for Facebook or even Tinder – which type of photo do you chose? The selfie you’ve taken after careful consideration of lighting, hair and maybe makeup? (No doubt, you look great!) Or the group photo with friends, possibly less styled, but that captures a moment among peers? It might come as a surprise that it’s the group photo will make you look more attractive – it’s a phenomenon known as the “cheerleader effect”. The cheerleader effect is real, but perhaps not for the reasons you think. The group shot with friends may indeed communicate you are sociable and friendly, but this is not what is making you more attractive. The real explanation boils down to how human brains deal with information....
MORE: https://theconversation.com/yes-the-chee...vour-92501
https://theconversation.com/how-landline...cted-92662
EXCERPT: Smartphones and the internet have revolutionised society, commerce, and politics, reshaping how we work and play, and how our brains are wired. They have even revolutionised how revolutions are made.
For enthusiasts, these technologies enhance freedom and democratise the flow of information, putting more power in the hands of people to generate political change. In the aftermath of the Parkland shooting, high school students have used social media to provoke a public debate about guns in the United States. However, detractors counter that social media and the internet foster “slactivism”: weak, low-effort commitments that do little more than make users feel better.
It’s difficult to evaluate today’s communication technologies unless we understand how people communicated in the past. My own research looks back at how political activists used the phone in the years before the mobile phone revolution, using the records of activist groups and interviews to find out how phone talk shaped what they did and how well they did it.
The results higlight how important phone calls were in fostering a sense of community, intimacy and connection. This suggests that we have lost as much as we have gained with our high-tech gizmos....
MORE: https://theconversation.com/how-landline...cted-92662
Yes the 'cheerleader effect' is real – and you can make it work in your favour
https://theconversation.com/yes-the-chee...vour-92501
EXCERPT: When it comes to presenting yourself online – such as your profile pic for Facebook or even Tinder – which type of photo do you chose? The selfie you’ve taken after careful consideration of lighting, hair and maybe makeup? (No doubt, you look great!) Or the group photo with friends, possibly less styled, but that captures a moment among peers? It might come as a surprise that it’s the group photo will make you look more attractive – it’s a phenomenon known as the “cheerleader effect”. The cheerleader effect is real, but perhaps not for the reasons you think. The group shot with friends may indeed communicate you are sociable and friendly, but this is not what is making you more attractive. The real explanation boils down to how human brains deal with information....
MORE: https://theconversation.com/yes-the-chee...vour-92501