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By Marshall Jones, MS, DABCIP
All too frequently we see drivers cognitively disengaged from driving due to texting or being focused on their cell phone conversations. We have to be increasingly conscious of pedestrians engaged with both headphones and texting, walking zombie-like on campuses, malls, and streets while being unaware of their surroundings. There seem to be more oblivious people loudly sharing personal communications in a line at the bank or restaurant, not noticing the glares of others that find such intrusions to be inconsiderate and a violation of social norms. Active listening and good interpersonal communication skills are essential to professional and social settings. These human interactions are commonly becoming secondary to the ring of a cell phone or a twitter of an incoming text, where the other party of the live in-person conversation is placed on hold until the technological communication is completed. The all too common practice of instantaneous disengagement from an in-person conversation to check for calls or text messages without the courtesy “excuse me” can pose interpersonal and professional problems. Those accustomed to more traditional social norms and conventions find the behavior rude and unprofessional.
While these behaviors are becoming more commonplace, their long-term importance in social, developmental, and safety domains may not be receiving the attention they warrant. There is little effort to define what many people notice in these behaviors and provide a common frame of reference for discussion and exploration. The potential dangers to youth and adolescents in terms of development of social interaction, interpersonal communication, emotional intelligence, and situational awareness critical to social and professional interaction have yet to be explored and disseminated. Parents, educators, clinicians, and society need to find a framework for discussing the behaviors that most people notice but do not easily define.
Operationalization
The first step to further research is to operationalize a phenomenon. Therefore, we will define Technology-Induced Disassociation Syndrome (TIDS) as observable behavior where the subject is:
• Cognitively disengaged, by choice or circumstance, from the real-life environment and/or situation due to a technology or multiple technologies and/or virtual interaction or environment.
• Seems oblivious to the environment around him or her, including dangers, while focused primarily on the technology being utilized.
• Is focused on the technology over the real environment.
• Exhibits a lack of situational awareness, or in youth, the opportunity to develop situational awareness.
Why it is Important
Defining and exploring TIDS is important primarily for public safety as well as child and adolescent development. The public safety aspect is hard to dispute. Traffic accidents resulting from drivers engaged with cell phones or texting is widely documented. Many states are enacting laws to prohibit texting and cell phone use in an attempt to save lives and give law enforcement prevention options.
The impact on child and adolescent development is an area in desperate need for exploration and public awareness. Parents, educators, and counselors need to develop an awareness of how TIDS could lead to underdeveloped face-to-face interpersonal and communication skills and how it could impact emotional intelligence and situational awareness. These skills are critical in one’s personal life, academia, and professional situations. It is also important to recognize that adapting to technology has positive attributes, even at early ages, and that there is value in seeking a balanced approach to skill development in technology-based and conventional interactions.
Societal communication and social norms are also being impacted; these areas are worthy of discussion to help establish common norms and expectations of how technology should be used in various settings, particularly professional environments. This is important to avoid interpersonal conflicts and misunderstandings based on potentially discordant expectations of communication priorities and methods. In some cases, texting is operationally a second language for people, and therefore clarifying electronic communication etiquette becomes increasingly critical. Electronic communications by nature lose nuances seen in in-person interactions, such as pitch, tone, modulation, and body language. When tech-savvy individuals communications electronically communicate with those who are not versed, it may as well be Latin to the receiver.
Further Research
As the causes, consequences, and behaviors associated with TIDS are explored, research opportunities will emerge in cognitive, evolutionary, and social psychology. Public discussion and awareness may encourage research on how TIDS affects children and spark greater self-assessment in everyone.
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