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Restak, Richard M. Attention Deficit: The Brain Syndrome of Our Era. The New Brain: How the
Modern Age Is Rewiring Your Mind. Emmaus, Pa: Rodale, 2003. Print.
Chapter three of the book The New Brain, titled Attention Deficit: The Brain Syndrome
of Our Era primarily focuses on the effects of technology on the human brain. Technology is
specified to television, cellphones, movies, laptop and the internet. Restak mentions how division
of attention makes it difficult to perform tasks with a complete focus, which can lead to ADD or
ADHD (42). As a result, a person with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), or Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may talk excessively out of turn, fidget a lot, is often forgetful,
fails to give attention to tasks, or is impatient even as they grow into their adulthood (Restak 43).
The constant need for multitasking and switching focus on tasks is rapidly leading to more
ADHD, and what was considered dysfunctional personality traits are now becoming the norm
pressure to respond quickly and accurately increases, which alternatively causes a decrease in the
amount of material absorbed. The little time intervals to grasp information in order to multitask
leads to inefficiency according to Restak, because the frontal lobes are shifting attention. In
addition, the transition from one task to another takes up to seven-tenths of a second to redirect
focus which results in a loss of time, proving his point of inefficiency (55). The constant need to
be in two places at once, such as mentally on the phone with one person, and physically
elsewhere involves heavy involvement of the mind. Such technologies are forcing our brains to
restructure themselves and accommodate to a world of multiple identity and presence (53).
Restak, a neurologist and neuropsychiatrist is well credited for his books on brain
function. His intended audience speaks out to every individual in possession of a portable
neurology at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C and has
appeared on authorized television shows such as NPRs Morning Edition, The Today Show,
Restak understands that we participate in many different and disparate realities, yet as a
result of our attention and focus problems we cant fully participate in them (54). Walk and
chew gum at the same time (60) is a quote he uses to critique his counteract on multitasking,
which shows that Restak acknowledges both sides of his argument. Its an absolutely beautiful
piece of music that compels the human spirit to perform, to care, to love. This quote by Restak
proves a point of his that multitasking is possible with his example of music and manual
I think the author brings up a key point about multitasking with his examples of using a phone
and having a conversation in person simultaneously, being present in two different realities at
once. This is where technology is incorporated because without constant dependency on
everyday technology such as television, phones, music, etc there would not be a drastic shift in
focus due to giving attention in multiple directions. I think this highlights my point of how
technology affects the human mind, positively being that it allows different areas of the brain to
activate, which can be beneficial for multitasking. On the contrary, it can also be a detriment
when activating the same parts of the brain, leaving the mind to compete for focus on one
particular task, to not be able to give a task all the attention it needs. This text can be useful for
those wanting a better understanding of the plasticity of the human mind and how it allows
technology to control the mind.
Annotated Bibliography 2
Cook, Jia-Rui. "Digital Technology Can Be Harmful to Your Health." UCLA Newsroom. N.p., 29 Mar.
amongst highly educated UCLA staff who speak about the negative effects of bright light
technology such as television, ipads, and phones. Perhaps the most dramatic impact is the
reduction in the amount of sleep is a statement made by the UCLA chancellor, Gene Block. He
backs up his statement with facts of bright light effects on the decrease of melatonin, leptin, and
increase in ghrelin which all take a part in the regulation of sleep cycles. He mentions that sleep
is a primitive process, but certainly necessary which supports his argument on the downside of
technology. UCLA psychologist, Greenfield, reminds the audience that Being able to
understand the feelings of other people is extremely important to society, I think we can all see a
reduction in that. She makes a different point on the human dependency of technology by
claiming that earlier on, not responding to an email for two weeks would be alright, but as the
days progress, not responding in two hours is a worrisome. As a solution to the concern about
technology, Anusuya Chatterjee, a health economist, proposed that people get up every hour
from their desks and walk around. By stating, Humans are making the choice to be so obsessed
with technology, Chatterjee takes on the point about humans making the choice to spend a lot of
Gene Block, the chancellor of UCLA holds a bachelors, masters, and ph.D in
psychology from Stanford University, and the University of Oregon. He also specialized in
circadian aaabiology and received prestigious awards such as the NAACP Foundation
Presidents award and The Friends of the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human
Behavior visionary award. Along with this, he holds a patent for a non-contact respiratory
UCLA, who received her ph.D from Harvard University. She is a recipient of awards such as the
APA, SRCD and many more in the fields of biology and psychology. Along with these, she has
also a written a book called Mind and Media and has other projects related to cultural
education and human development. Anusuya Chatterjee, a fellow at the Milken Institute, is a an
expertise on the economic effects of the medical field. Her books about technologys influence
on obesity and life habits, along with her magazines have been published in outlets such as the
Forbes Magazine, and her works have been cited in CNN, PBS, Los Angeles Times and many
This article was very helpful because it incorporated arguments along with concurring
opinions amongst professors with phDs and other high degrees. They focused primarily on the
negative effects of technology on an individuals mind and health. This was a beneficial article
relating to my topic specifically about technologys effects to the mind, but it can also be
Yu, Tai-Kuei, Mei-Lan Lin, and Ying-Kai Liao. "Understanding Factors Influencing Information
This article mainly focuses on the positive attributes of growing technology. It mentions the
division in digital era, comparing technology in the rural areas to urban areas. The information
literacy in rural locations are better than the ones in the urban locations, therefore increasing the
digital division between people, claim Venkatesh and Sykes. At present, knowledge and
scholars Van Deursen and Van Dijk followed by their statement that the lack of computers and
mentioned to give greater access to people and acts as a communicative bridge between an
individual and society (De wit, Heerwegh, & Verhoeven). So the scholars give reasoning as to
why the digital division between locations should be reduced, which is mainly to increase
One of the authors of this article, Mei-Lan Lin graduated from Southern Taiwan
University of Science and Technology and works in the department of Hospitality Management.
Tai-Kuei Yu, a phD scholar in quantitative social research, and educational technology, is also
credible with his experience in writing many articles relating to digital division. Likewise, Ying-
Kai Liao, a scholar of international business from Taiwan. This article also incorporates voices of
other scholars such as Van Deursen and Van Dijk, Venkatesh, and Sykes. The intended audience
is mostly towards those reaching for technology, the beginners. It speaks out to those in the rural
and urban areas in order to connect the division between them through communication and
Quotes: The ICT medium could provide service interaction to people and enable them to access
peer opinions; hence, people can see the potential for additional benefits
The higher the level of richness, the easier it is to convey information to receivers, thus
Such communication consists of cues that convey information and use of appropriate skills
through appropriate devices that promote activities and effective dialogues. Hence, users need to
go through the information medium to obtain the required information (knowledge) and services,
This article was a little harder to read compared to the other bibliographies because it
incorporated a lot of scholarly voices apart from the main authors. The text was also peer
reviewed and was in the form of a journal article so it consisted of a lot of bias stances on the
improvement of technology. Apart from this, the article is useful for my topic because it
highlights the different areas that technology is used and how it affects people in their respective
Adamovich, Sergei V., Gerard G. Fluet, Eugene Tunik, and Alma S. Merians. "Sensorimotor Training in
Virtual Reality: A Review." NeuroRehabilitation. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2009. Web.
24 Apr. 2017.
Technology is being used in many ways, and this article advocates for the true
technology and how it is being used in the medical field, improving sensory motors and networks
of the brain. Virtual reality (VR) can be defined as an approach to user-computer interface that
involves real-time simulation of an environment, scenario or activity that allows for user
interaction via multiple sensory channels [19]. Sensory stimulation through VR is meant to
target parts of the brain such as the motor areas and explore dysfunctions as well as trigger
neuroplastic changes.
The intended audience of this article is towards an educated group of individuals who
understand the complexity of virtual reality technologies towards neurological repair. It speaks
for those who understand the effects and benefits of this specific technology toward practices and
health treatments. Ethos for this article is highly credible because the authors of this source, J.
Adamovich SV; Fluet GG; Tunik E; Merians AS, are affiliated with their position in their
Engineering, University Heights, Newark, NJ, USA University of Medicine and Dentistry of
New Jersey, Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Science, Newark, NJ, USA.
Quotes: VR as a training environment may provide a rehabilitation tool that can be used to
exploit the nervous systems capacity for sensorimotor adaptation by providing a technological
Iintentional observation of movement can be used to stimulate the sensorimotor system without
necessitating overt movement itself. Adding more sophisticated manipulations in VR, such as to
the color/brightness of objects, their location, form, perspective (1st versus 3rd person),
temporal/spatial distortions of the movement trajectory, and feedback replays, can perhaps
potentiate these effects in ways that cannot be achieved in the natural world.
This article was the longest article for my annotated bibliographies and although it did take some
time to understand its significance, it has use for my specific topic. It regards the positive aspects
of technology in todays society where it is used in the medical world. This particular article talks
about neurorehabilitation with the use of virtual reality technology and that is very informative
when addressing consequences versus benefits of technology for the brain, into my paper.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY #5
Bavelier, Daphne, C. Shawn Green, and Matthew W. G. Dye. "Children, Wired for Better and for
Worse." Neuron. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 09 Sept. 2010. Web. 05 Apr. 2017.
This article relates to how technology is wiring children of this generation in particular.
An enormous part of who we are is shaped by our experiences - experiences that today are
generation is emphasized by the authors along with how it plays a major role in the cognitive
development of immature brains. It is mentioned that the developing brain is more malleable in
response to experience than is the adult brain which is why the primary focus surrounds
younger individuals. Another point that the article highlights is how a difference in media display
either decreases or improves cognitive abilities such as television shows or video games.
The intended audience of this article is directed towards the educated, and the parents
who understand how the different types of media affect children. It can also be directed towards
individuals of great interest towards visionary technology such as televisions, computers, video
games etc. Ethos is credible for this article as Daphene Bavelier, a professor at the University of
Geneva, is well experienced with her studies in cognitive neuroscience and TED talks on video
games affecting the brain. Shawn Green, an assistant professor with a phD from the University
of Rochester has research interests in motor and cognitive domains. Matthew William Dye, who
has a phD for cognitive psychology is also a credible author of this article.
and expressive language skills in two year olds, while exposure to Teletubbies is associated
Sesame Street, which premiered in 1969, has been repeatedly associated with various positive
outcomes such as school readiness, vocabulary size and numeracy skills 1719. Relatively newer
programs such as Blues Clues, Dora the Explorer, and Clifford the Big Red Dog, have also
been correlated with positive outcomes such as greater vocabulary and higher expressive
language skills.
A large negative association between viewing baby DVDs (e.g. Baby Einstein or Brainy
Baby) and language development score was found for the youngest children (816 months), or
in other words, each hour of daily viewing/listening in this group was associated with a
Furthermore, the size of the decrement was not minor - while daily reading with a parent is
associated with a 7-point increase in language score, each hour of daily baby DVD viewing was
This article was very informative because it gave a different perspective on my topic,
which is on children. This information specifies how infants and children are affected by
technology, which is another voice by scholarly authors to consider. The authors use relatable
examples of t.v shows, which allowed me to connect to my childhood t.v shows and understand
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY #6
Carr, Nicholas. "'The Shallows': This Is Your Brain Online." NPR. NPR, 02 June 2010. Web. 05 Apr.
2017.
The internet is a major distraction to minute and major tasks is the basic point that
Nicholas Carr, a writer on technology and culture, makes. "I'd sit down with a book, or a long
article and after a couple of pages my brain wanted to do what it does when I'm online: check e-
mail, click on links, do some Googling, hop from page to page is what he told NPR's Robert
Siegel. In his book, he proceeds to talk about how the internet slows down creative thinking and
memory skills, and overall supports his bias of the taking over of technology in todays world
with facts.
Nicholas Carr, an American author on technology, business, and culture, has received
education from Dartmouth College with a B.A and Harvard University with an M.A. He has also
written several books on the topic surrounding technology and computers in society. He has
written for The Atlantic, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Wired, Nature, MIT
Technology Review, and many other periodicals. He writes towards the newer generation, who
drown themselves in digital technology instead of going oldschool with pen and papers, him
included.
Quotes: "Neuroscientists and psychologists have discovered that, even as adults, our
brains are very plastic. They're very malleable, they adapt at the cellular level to whatever we
happen to be doing. And so the more time we spend surfing, and skimming, and scanning ... the
Even if people get better at hopping from page to page, they will still be losing their abilities to
employ a "slower, more contemplative mode of thought. Research shows that as people get better
There were a lot of statements of Nicholas Carrs that made me pause for a minute and analyze
the reality of it. He was biased about how technology had downsides of being distracting and
slowing processes of todays society, but made valid points as to why he thought the way he did.
This was an easy and assuring article and it fits with my topic of how technology is affecting
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY #7
Technology & the Human Mind. Dir. TEDxTalks. Perf. Susan Greenfield. YouTube, 03 July 2014. Web.
05 Apr. 2017.
The Tedtalk given by Susan Greenfield focuses on the topic of the advancement of
technologys impact on an individual's mind and ways in which people can alleviate their
addiction to digital advancement. She shares a personal experience of how she witnessed a lady
beside her constantly tweeting, which emphasizes her point of how the 21st century finds it
necessary to constantly be connected virtually. Do you really want to be connected to people all
the time? As she says it. She also highlights her point about the technicality of the brains
adaptation and reflection to the surrounding world and its high association with visual screening
displays. Dopamine inhibits the prefrontal cortex, so intense video screening time stimulates a
fast response, which means there is a drive for a sentation of a cognition in which the screen will
offer you something that perhaps the real world doesn't, so youll go onto watch the video
(16:08). Video games were the primary example that she gave about an individuals attachment
Susan Greenfield, a writer, a broadcaster, and a British neuroscientist, has been published
in multiple peer reviewed journals and has received several awards, including Michael Faraday
Medal from the Royal Society along with thirty other degrees from universities around the
world. Her area of research focuses on 21st technology's impact on the mind and her expertise in
Ted talks and novels giver her high credibility. Her audience for this particular video, apart from
all those in the room, are individuals of every sort, primarily those who use excessive digital
media.
The biological basis of the mind, the personalization of the brain, the unique dynamic
The Ted Talk presented by Susan Greenfield was a good ending to sum up my previous
bibliographies because she restated how technology has its own negative effects on people,
especially children and teenagers with brain plasticity and developing brains. She relates hyper
usage of technology to addiction of all sorts and this is useful for my paper because it hits the