Dec. 8, 2006
www.euilfordian .com
WORLD
Page 3
Digital culture affects mental development
DA ^ rNrxDCD I CTA cr \ A/n »-rrn —^
By Adra Cooper | staff writer
W hen strolling across
Guilford campus on a
typical sunny day, you
would find students hastily
walking to class while listening
to iPods, sitting on the lawn
typing away on laptops, and
lounging outside of Founders
chattering on cell phones. Tech
nology has assimilated so much
into our culture that it has as
sumed an omnipresence in our
society.
While technological ad
vances certainly benefit hu
mankind, there are also certain
consequences. The prevalence
of technology may not just af
fect how we operate our daily
lives but also how our brain de
velops.
The Institute for the Future
of the Mind, directed by neu
rologist Susan Greenfield, re
searches technologies of the
twenty-first century and the
issues they bring to humanity.
The Institute is fairly new and
has not yet conducted exten
sive research but it proposes
to study the molecular and
cellular mechanisms of neuro
development, particularly in
children.
"The human brain is exqui
sitely sensitive to any and ev
ery event," Greenfield said in a
speech at the House of Lords.
"We cannot complacently take
it as an article of faith that will
remain inviolate."
Greenfield recently con-
' ♦
said Taylor. "It is important
that children of a certain age
are utilizing certain skills."
Activities like reading in
volve following a story through
a series of interrelated logi
cal steps, which utilizes logic,
memory, linear thinking, and
structures in order to better
cope with environment. When
a part of the brain is not used,
another section may take over
its functions.
"If you don't use it, you lose
it," said Taylor. "Potentially the
skills that are not being learned
creativity. These skills are typi- by children in the modern era
,'r^*
V-
"The human brain is
exquisitely sensitive to
any and every event.
We cannot complacently
take it as an article of
faith that will remain
inviolate."
%
Susan Greenfield
Neurologist and Director of The Insti
tute for the Future of the Mind
Illustration by Charlie Clay/Guilfordian
ducted a survey of eight to 18 ways of play in which skills
would be developed.
Greenfield
year olds that found that they
spend an average of six and
a half hours a day using elec
tronic media. Children growing
up in the present electronic age
spend hours watching televi
sion, playing videogames, and
surfing the Internet daily.
"Our behavior is not only
a product of genes and brain
cells but our society by which
we live," said Debra Taylor,
part-time lecturer in psychol
ogy. "Technology-based activi
ties now replace the traditional
concludes that
children who spend approxi
mately six hours every day in
these virtual worlds are differ
ent from those from the previ
ous generation, or those born
before 1970. She classifies the
prior generation as the "gen
eration of the book," meaning
their brains developed in a
completely different way than
those of children today.
"A certain stage of childhood
is critical for development,"
cally not re
quired when
engaging in
technology-
based play.
Many sci
entists at
tribute the
emergence
of technol
ogy and its
iconic, fast-
paced na
ture as play
ing a role in
the increase
of psycho
logical dis
orders like
ADD.
"Children as young as five
years old are now being medi
cated for psychological disor
ders like depression and ADD,"
said junior Psychology major
Katherine Rossini. "Instead
of prescribing these children
drugs, we should look more at
what is actually causing these
problems."
Many activities, such as vid
eo-gaming, that do not necessi
tate creative skills may invoke
neuroplasticity, the process of
the human brain changing its
could be
lost."
Research
ers David
Hubei and
T o r t s t e n
Wiesel con
ducted an
experiment
in which
they prohib
ited kittens
from using
one of their
eyes. As a
result, these
kittens did
not develop
the areas of
receive input
This demon-
the brain which
from both eyes,
strates how the brain cultivates
during childhood based on
what parts of the brain are ex
ercised.
"We should not sleepwalk
into a world that is directed by
modern technologies," Green
field wrote on the Institute
Web site. "Rather, we should
establish which skills we want
our young people to develop,
then use technology to help
construct the richest lives pos
sible."
Soldier gets life in prison for rape, murder of Iraqis
ONTINUED FROM PAGE I „ . . .
Continued from page I d 1 , , .
— ; — Barker was also found guilty of arson for
The question we have to ask is: why, if an attempt to try to cover up the crime by
the army is saying this crime was caused burning the girl's body,
by stress, do we have people in a situation "To live (in Iraq), to survive there, I be-
that so traumatizes them that they are com- came angry and mean. The mean part of
mitting such dis
turbing and tragic
acts," said presi
dent of the Guil
ford chapter of the
National Organi
zation for Women
Katie Yow.
The Washing
ton Post reported
that the attack
was premeditat
ed, and that the
soldiers involved
began planning
the rape of the young girl after visiting her
home several weeks before the actual crime
took place.
"Since the purpose of the law is to pun
ish crimes fairly, it is only fitting that when
someone with malice and forethought has
committed a crime, that they be more se
verely punished," said Wesley Coming,
senior criminal justice and political science
double major.
me made me
strong on pa
trols. It made
me brave in
fire fights,"
Barker said
in his closing
statement dur
ing the trial,
according to
the Associated
Press. "I loved
my friends,
my fellow sol
diers and my
leaders, but I began to hate everyone else in
Iraq."
The trial took place in a military court,
which is slightly different from a civilian
court.
"The civilian trial occurs before a jury of
people who know nothing about the case
and who cannot find a way to get out of jury
duty, while the military trial occurs before a
panel whose members include officers and
"Since the purpose of the law is
to punish crimes fairly, it is only
fitting that when someone with
malice and forethought has
committed a crime, that they be
more severely punished."
Wesley Corning
Criminal Justice / Political Science double major
enlisted personnel
who are familiar with
military process, dis
cipline and stresses,"
said Motsinger.
Barker pleaded
guilty and also agreed
to testify against the
other soldiers in
volved in order to
avoid the death pen
alty.
"I do not ask any
one to forgive me to
day," Barker tearfully
told the judge accord
ing to the Associated
Press. "I don't know how that would be
possible after what I have done. I do ask the
Iraqi people not to blame my brothers still
fighting in Iraq." Barker will be eligible for
parole in 20 years.
"Generally I think this soldier got a fit
ting sentence, and one that while more se
vere than that which a civilian would re
ceive," said Coming. "It is appropriate for a
soldier meant to be protecting these people
who have committed such an egregious
crime against."
The Washington Post reports that the
W-a!
V'J'
total number of reported cases of sexual as
sault involving army personnel increased 19
percent from 1999 to 2002. The number of re
ported rapes increased by 25 percent during
the same period.
"The numbers of women serving in the
armed forces that report being raped by fel
low service people is outrageous," said Yow.
"Hopefully this case will set a precedent for
other people to be held accountable for such
actions against civilians, and it also needs to
provoke some preventative measures on the
part of military leaders."