What is mankind coming to? That is the question that could be asked by many people these days as we see more and more people turning to social media, playing games, or watching Netflix for hours on end.
Technology has brought us closer together than ever before and just because you don't want to be in conversation with your neighbors doesn't mean that they're not influencing you.
According to this article, understanding how digital technology can influence society would help us understand what our future will be like.
A study was done with a group of individuals who were given the same task to complete. The tasks required a computer and were supposed to be done under supervision, but some of the individuals were unsupervised while others were supervised.
Unsurprisingly, those who were unsupervised performed better than those who knew they were being watched. In fact, the individuals that did poorly did so intentionally just to show how little they cared about the job they had been given.
This study shows how our actions are influenced by the presence of others. If we know that we're being watched, we are more likely to do a good job and be productive. It also shows how we can exhibit antisocial behaviors to spite others and make them think they don't have any control over us.
This may sound like a bad thing, but it also means that we can form friendships and bonds with people we have never spoken to before. While this is at first glance beneficial, it can also mean that we are more likely to be influenced by those who are close to us.
If you're the kind of person who wants to be friends with everyone and everyone wants to be friends with you, then it might be time for a reality check.
