Educating in the use of new technologies: why is it necessary?

It is not enough to know how to use new technologies: we must also learn to integrate them into our lives.

Every few centuries, humanity takes a giant step forward in its cultural development based on the discovery and proliferation of a new revolutionary resource. It happened with fire, it happened in the industrial revolution, and now it is happening with what, for the time being, we call what, for the moment, we call the technological revolution..

It is a fact that new technologies are bringing about a paradigm shift in our society. Being able to maintain channels of contact indefinitely open through social networks or being just a click away from the latest news anywhere in the world, means changes at a cultural and commercial level that, whether we like it or not, are there. And as with any major change, this implies a gradual process of adaptation and implies a gradual process of adaptation and learning.especially in the case of the younger generations, who are very exposed to these resources.

Why educate in the use of new technologies?

We must maximize the advantages that these resources offer to our society, while preventing as much as possible the risks associated with them. In this sense, there is a growing awareness about the importance of training the new generations who have known the world with all this technology and are growing up in the midst of the technological revolution.

The objective is that they know how to make good use of these new resources. They may be technically proficient in their use as users, but that does not mean that they will be able to that doesn't mean they are able to integrate them into their lives in a healthy way..

It is not necessary to have a bad conception of social networks to fall into some of their dangers, sometimes it is enough with a spontaneous and natural use guided by the principle of immediate gratification offered by the Internet connection and access to all kinds of content and virtual interactions. That is why it is vital to guide and train people in a proper use.

The danger of technology addiction

One of the most prominent dangers is that these new technologies are potentially addictive. Video games, applications, social networks or simple browsing involve intrinsic mechanisms that can lead to addiction. intrinsic mechanisms that can lead to addiction by obtaining a reward (or "addiction") by obtaining an immediate reward (or rather, reinforcer).

Let's take an example. When I perform the behavior of writing a chat message, the response message obtained functions as a reinforcement or reward. Reinforcers are defined as those consequences of a behavior that increase the likelihood of repeating it in the future.. Under this framework, it is easy to understand that the more I write and the more I get a reply... the more likely I am to write again. If you have familiarized yourself with any instant messaging application, you are beginning to understand the magnitude of this risk.

Video games base their entire operation on this mechanism.. I perform the behavior of playing and, eventually, the video game itself gives me a reinforcement, such as an achievement, a skill, unlocking a new level... each time we activate one of these reinforcements, our behavior of playing is perpetuated more and more and, if we pay attention, we will notice how the game at first offers us the rewards by doing the simplest tasks but, as we advance in the game, we will get them more and more time and after performing feats that involve greater effort or skill.

This is due to the fact that to provoke a behavior the reinforcements must be constant, while to maintain it, these reinforcements must be administered intermittently. Thus, returning to the chat, when we have already written forty times to the same person, and suddenly he answers us... not only will he have reinforced the fact that we write, but he will have reinforced the fact that we do it forty times.

Smartphones and the Internet: the realm of immediacy.

As with any addiction it is not enough to know the possible long-term negative consequences, as behavioral psychology tells us that, in general, it is not enough to know the possible long-term negative consequences.In fact, behavioral psychology tells us that, in general, an immediate reinforcer has a greater effect on our behavior than a delayed punishment. In other words, we tend to prefer bread for today despite hunger for tomorrow.

For this reason, we must therefore offer concrete and alternative behavioral patterns, also appropriately reinforced, if we want toWe must therefore offer concrete guidelines and behavioral alternatives, also duly reinforced, if we want to avoid this malaise, which already affects around 20% of young people.

However, while we are engaged in this prevention work, it is easy that many of us are already in the clutches of new technologies, and therefore if we suffer from symptoms such as irritability or anxiety when we do not have our Smartphone at our disposal or other device, if our academic or work life is being affected or if we detect a lack of self-control regarding the use of new technologies, perhaps it is time to reveal ourselves to our reinforcers and seek the guidance of a specialist.

Because of technology, reinforcers are everywhere, and it is better that we are the ones who choose them... and not the other way around.