How Digital Devices Took Over and How to Reclaim Our Relationship With Them

We all do it countless times a day. Tap our smartphones, fire up our laptops and tablets and log into social media to see if we have any new notifications. the average American reaches for their digital device approximately 186 times each day, according to a recent study of 1,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. Our screens have become a vital part of our day-to-day lives, but sometimes, having access to technology can cause us to not be present in our interactions.

“The effects are pervasively harmful in terms of their impact on how people relate to each other and how people make connections. Those real-life interactions with other people are what give us richness to our lives,” says Matt Mulvaney, undergraduate program director and associate professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science in College of Arts and Sciences.

“It is important that we become more mindful about and intentional about how we're using our technology, ensuring we have safer times and spaces where we do allow for that non-task specific use. But it's becoming difficult, especially in the classroom,” says Zahra Vahedi, assistant teaching professor in the Department of Psychology in A&S.

On the latest “’Cuse Conversations” podcast, Mulvaney and Vahedi examine the complex roles our digital screens play in our lives and offer tips to reestablish a healthy relationship with our devices.