Are Children's Brains Changed By Computer Use?
So what, exactly, are computers doing to children's brains? The question was put to neuroscientist Baroness Greenfield, who has spent her career researching the physiology of the brain. Essentially, Greenfield believes that there may be a link between the growing use of computers among children, and their steadily decreasing attention spans.
"The last 10 years have seen a three-fold increase in the prescription of the drug Ritalin, a drug used for Attention Deficit Disorder," she told BBC's Radio 4. Greenfield, the director of the Royal Institution in England, says the "sensory-laden environment" of computers could result in people "staying in the world of the small child".
"Could it be -- and this is just a suggestion which I think we should look into -- could it be if a small child is sitting in front of a screen pressing buttons and getting reactions quickly for many hours, they get used to and their brains get used to rapid responses?" she asked.
Interestingly, Greenfield believes the distinction has been lost between information and knowledge: the difference being that information lacks the context necessary for knowledge. "If children do not have stories read to them and have little practice of concentrating for long periods, this could effect how they handle the sedate pace of school life," she said. Check out the BBC for more of her thoughts (and some dissenting views as well). [From: BBC]
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