As technology hack our brains

Reliance on smartphones is now on everyone's lips. Some even believe that the phones, apps and social networks specifically designed so as to make us a highly addictive, and call it "brain hacking".

The principle of slot machines

Every time we check the phone, as if we pull the lever the slot machine in the hope of getting a reward. And once having received it, we want to experience that feeling again - and formed a habit. On a similar principle, constructed many modern technologies.

Awards - Huskies on Facebook and Instagram, emoji in messages, new subscribers - and is the basis of the attractiveness of the smartphone.

"Everyone used to think that technology by itself is harmless. And how to use them, it depends only on us. But this is misleading - said Tristan Harris, a former manager of Google products. - They are not harmless. Their creators want us to use them in a certain way and for a long time. Because they are so to make money. "

The company constantly improve their products, trying in any way to get our attention. Unfortunately, the consequences for the users often negative: we

Communication technologies and dopamine

"Now programmers who know the brain device can write a program that causes the brain to perform certain actions", - Ramsey says Brown, founder of Dopamine Labs, which is engaged in the creation of applications that provoke neyroreaktsii.

For example, such applications determine the best time for the issuance of reward users, which in themselves have no value, but make the brain want repetition.

We like lab rats in a cage, push the button to get the reward - and the release of dopamine. Corporations are doing everything to keep us in this cage.

"We do not pay for the social network, for placing in them paying advertisers. We use them for free, because we have a product, "- Brown says.

Another trick that is used in social networks - continuous scrolling. This is a proven way to slow us down a little longer and strengthen our relationship.

Technology and the level of anxiety

Meanwhile, psychologist Larry Rosen and his colleagues at the California State University in Dominguez Hills found the impact of technology on our level anxiety.

When we put the phone, the brain sends a signal to the adrenal glands to develop hormone cortisol. It is also called a stress hormone. It was he who helped primitive people do not lose vigilance and escape from predators. And because of it we so often take up the phone, even when we do not have any notifications.

We think: "Something I have not checked the tape to Facebook. What if someone said my post to Instagram? »This leads to the release of cortisol, and we are starting to get nervous. We want to get rid of this anxiety and to take this phone.

It turns out our phone keeps us in a constant state of anxiety, of which only one remedy - the phone.

gamification

Corporations and content creators are always eager to make their products more attractive as possible. To do this, they often resort to gamificationIe apply techniques of video games, such as competition with other users. It also helps to strengthen the relationship.

on gamification expert Gabe and emotional involvement Zikermann believes that it makes no sense to expect that the company will produce products that will not cause users dependence.

He believes that this is not so bad, because the same techniques that are addictive, help users to fix with the help of new technologies habits, such as exercise.

"To ask the creators of technology start to work less simply stupid - says Zikermann. - It is unlikely that it will ever happen. In addition, it is contrary to capitalist thinking and of the system in which we live. "