Q&A: why children need a balanced "diet" of tech

 

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By Nicole Kobie

Posted on 6 Jul 2011 at 07:00

More than a third of people feel "overwhelmed" by technology, according to BT-sponsored research from the University of Cambridge.

The study found a third of adults and 43% of children were trying to limit their use of communications tech - with social-networking sites a prime target for cutbacks.

The researchers suggested those overwhelmed by tech - especially parents - need to find a way to balance its effect on their own and their children's lives, comparing it to striving for a healthy, balanced diet.

We spoke to Cambridge researcher Anna Mieczakowski and BT's head of strategic research Jeff Patmore to find out more.

Q. The research recommends giving children a "balanced diet" of technology and communications. What do you mean by that?

Mieczakowski: Children copy the behaviour of their parents, such as with food, and the same goes for technology. If [parents] give children chocolate throughout the day without putting any rules about when they can eat it, or leave a fridge with ice cream in their room, of course children without any guidance will help themselves to it all the time.

Children copy the behaviour of their parents, such as with food, and the same goes for technology

If you put rules in place – you can eat ice cream after you have some vegetables – then over time children grow a much healthier relationship [with food] and the same goes for technology...

Q. The report suggests some people feel overwhelmed by technology. If that's the case, why don't they simply stop using it?

Patmore: One of the interesting comments we’ve had from people is that those that did exactly that, and turned it off from time to time, felt much better about technology.

But it’s not always that easy. We were talking to someone today who said “when my BlackBerry goes off, I feel compelled to go and look at it because there might be something interesting”.

These are the habits we’ve developed and it’s very much about reward. We occasionally get a really good email, so every time it goes off we believe that maybe there’s another really good email. It’s breaking that cycle and actually making a positive move to get away from technology from time to time… it is turning off and taking time off from technology now and then, because we are bombarded with a tremendous amount of information.