Technology has impacted multiple aspects of human psychology. The digital era is changing the world rapidly. With each passing year, science advances and shapes human behaviour accordingly.
We are shifting our attitudes, behaviours, and emotional expressions along with modern technology.
AI has taken over our workplaces and jobs. It can do more advanced and strategic work than a human mind. Computers are performing complex functions efficiently and strategically.
In this article, we will explore the impact of artificial intelligence on psychology and the human mind.
1. Attention span
It is the most noticeable factor that our attention span has been declining with each passing day. Patience and resilience have gone downhill. Specifically, our younger generation has very limited attention and focus. People complain about their concentration almost every day.
As a therapist, I have noticed this shift among my teenage patients. We are training our generation on the immediate gratification phenomenon. They want everything with a single click of the mouse. This disturbance in cognitive functioning is because of high-functioning and super-genius computers.
2. Social interaction
With the globalisation of the world, social communication is severely impaired. The world has shrunk to the size of a village technologically, but it has also changed in terms of social life.
People prefer to connect more on social media platforms and through calls and emails than physically.
This has led to a number of issues, like addiction and cyberbullying. It has made people focus more on their online personas and digital lives.
We have started living in a fantasy world rather than the real world. Everything we do is for the show.
3. Memory and Information Processing
The wealth of knowledge available to us has shifted our perception. Everything, including history, politics, geography, astronomy, etc., is available on the internet. Everything is available with one click on your phone.
We carry the whole Wikipedia and thesaurus in our pockets. It is regarded as useless and unimportant to learn and memorise stuff when you can just find it online at your convenience.
We have started relying on Google.
This reliance, known as the “Google effect,” has implications for how our brains store and retrieve information, potentially altering the traditional processes of learning and cognition.
4. Mental Health
The digital age has affected our emotions and mental health too. The world has become very fast-paced and revolutionised with science.
People have started facing issues related to psychology or mental wellbeing.
There are growing complaints of stress and depression. Moreover, the phenomenon of “digital detox” has emerged as a response to the overwhelming presence of technology in our lives, highlighting the need for periods of disconnection to maintain mental well-being.
5. Self-Concept
Social media platforms offer an opportunity to express their identities in a new and advanced way. Avatars, profile pictures, and filters all contribute to your self-persona and self-concept.
This interconnectedness has implications for how individuals perceive themselves and others, as well as how they navigate their identities in an increasingly digital world.
In a nutshell, the impact of artificial intelligence on human behaviour and emotional well-being is undeniable. It affects multiple aspects of personality and behaviour.
We are drifting apart as human beings. We are more well connected on the internet, and this has caused a decline in virtues like kindness, empathy, and respect.
Moreover, if technology has impacted us in a negative way, it has also had an impact in a positive way. It has made our lives easier and more simple.
By understanding the relationship between human psychology and advanced technology, we can build an environment based solely on the positive aspects of AI. We can use it for our own benefit and success if we want.
Make good use of AI and connect with people around you physically!
