More Americans Find Technology Stressful

More Americans are finding that technology has reduced their ability to concentrate and increased their levels of stress.

Surprisingly, younger people are more likely to have negative feelings about technology, possibly because of their greater exposure.  Almost a third of Americans under 45 who responded to the poll said that smart phones, cell phones, and computers have made it harder for them to concentrate.  In contrast, only 10 percent of people over age 45 felt they had experienced negative effects on concentration due to technology.

In addition, many adults are concerned about the effect of technology on their relationships. About 10 percent of polled respondents said that their use of technology caused them to spend less time with their children, and almost 15% of married people said that they spent less time with their spouse because of technology.

Some of this effect is surely due to the pervasiveness of technology throughout the day, and the way in which technology allows work to spill over into personal time.  Almost 40 percent said they checked email for work when they weren’t at work, including on vacation.

In spite of this, many people still feel positive about technology.  Over 30 percent of respondents said they could not imagine life without their computers.  The group who are most dependent on their computers were, on average, better educated and wealthier than those in the group of 65% of respondents who felt they would probably do just fine without a computer.

Younger people (college aged and younger) have grown up in an environment saturated with technology.  According to research conducted recently at the University of Melbourne in Australia, twice as many college students were experiencing difficulties due Internet dependence compared to the number with gambling addictions.  “Internet dependence” was defined as a level of technological use that interfered with the students’ daily lives.  The results of that study are forthcoming in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking.

Researchers continue to investigate the effects of technology, but if self-reports are trustworthy, despite our connection to electronic media, many people find it stressful and difficult.