Transcript The Psychology of . . . Technology a critical perspective of some technology Craig A.

The Psychology of . . . Technology
a critical perspective of some technology
Craig A. Jackson
Prof. of Occupational Health Psychology
Head of Psychology
Birmingham City University
The “Present” is less than a day-wide
“Cyber” as a pre-fix is going the same way as “electro”
“e” is naff
“i” too common
Future shock
Technology makes the future happen too soon for some people
Commuting
Commuting
“Cattle Truck Syndrome”
Chronic health problems exacerbated
by train travel?
Cumulative impact theory
Increased B.P, Anxiety, Chronic Heart Conditions
Over-crowded trains / buses
Straining public transport system
Lack of control
“People develop a constant internal
anger on crowded trains that they
cannot easily displace…an
individual's immune system could
also be suppressed by stress,
making passengers more
susceptible to illnesses”
The World of Work
The World of Work
Sick Building Syndrome – A once popular theory
Air quality
Chemical pollutants
Air con
Ventilation
Dust
Tobacco
Space
Crowding
Isolation
Equipment
Printers
PC’s
Noise
Equipment
Telephones
Others
Lighting
Artificial
Glare
Control
Job content
vdu’s
Monotony
Overload
Organisation
Control, communication, feedback
Is STRESS the common link with SBS?
Computer Keyboards
Tendonitis
Repetitive Strain Injury
Low Back Pain
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Cumulative Trauma Disorders
Chronic Fatigue
Fibromyalgia
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
21st Century Satanic Mills
Some problems never leave
Conditions are the same today
Views and values have changed
enormously
Creating problems and solutions is
an industry
Kerching!!!!
Homeworking
Is this a reality?
More of us working
from home
More of us working
on-the-road
“Work-Life Balance”
“Life-Work Balance”
Remote / Isolated Working
‘any situation or location in which someone works without a colleague
nearby; or when someone is working out of sight or earshot of another
colleague’
Field operatives Sales Drivers
Lack of immediate assistance available to
the worker;
illness accidents
personal safety
Social workers
District nurses
Filling stations
Home workers
Receptionists
Cleaners
Janitors
Drivers
Shops
Security
Teachers
Engineers
Communication
Hey.
On way
Hi
Claire.
Are
home. Left
you
around
lecture
earlyand
do
cosyou
feelfancy
like a
crap. Next time!
brew?
A good sign or a bad sign?
Personality type
Optimism vs Pessimism
Negative Affectivity
Hardiness
Vocal Hygiene
Golden Age of Communication
Most jobs have increased vocal use
Vocal load “unaware”
Equipment modifications required
Exacerbated by stress, alcohol, exposure
“Revenge Effect”
Death of the Book?
iBooks?
Ease of access
Cheap
Public service
Portable (almost)
Do people read more now?
“Anti-Social” Networking Sites
No longer “safe” at your own workstations
Luke Williams
I think they do spoil relationships & cause alot of arguments at work. My g/f has
facebook (i do 2) and she seems 2 add more bois thn gals n the otha day i was
lookin at hers at work, n thers a new boi on ther n it sez thy hooked up n she sed
she dnt kno who it is, i dnt kno wot 2 think? We also argue bare bout it...so i think it
does cause problems.
Privacy
Length of data on web
Details
Google maps
News stories
Defamation
Jealousy
Jealousy
Cyber Stalking
Personal details
Maps
Accessible data
Pictures
“Googling” people
Obesity & Techno-Decline
Technobesity
Different problems but similar anthropometric outcomes
Poor-fitting PPE
Ergonomic problems
Equipment modifications required
Exposure abnormalities e.g. welding plume
Depression / Ennui / Despair
Gambling
“Bingo for the girls . . . Poker for the boys”
Casinos
Betting
Employment
Off-shore
Games
Polarized opinion since early 1980s
Benefits
Detriments
MMORPGs
World of Warcraft
1.5 Billion subscribers
Research
Models for human behaviour
e.g. disease spread
commerce
crime
cohesion
CCTV
Erosion of civil liberties
Reduced privacy
Nothing to hide . . . Nothing to fear
Feel safer?
Reliability - - Ian Tomlinson / Dianna / De Menezes
CCTV for snoopers
Interactive Marketing
People power
Consumerism
Sexuality
Sexual offences
Pornography access
Offending Space
Relationships
Avatars
Fantasy
Offending
Fraud
Violent pornography
Fantasy sharing
Paedophilia
Virus
Hacking
Snooping
Identity theft
Further Reading
Coupland D. Microserfs. Flamingo, New York 1996.
Coupland D. J-pod. Bloomsbury, New York 2007.
Feynman RP What do you care what other people think?. Harper Collins,
London 1993.
Lewin R. Complexity. Phoenix, London 1997.
Orkin M. Can you win? Freeman, New York 1991.
Spuford F, Uglow J. Cultural Babbage: Technology, Time and Invention. Faber
and Faber, London 1997.
Tenner E. Why things bite back. Fourth Estate, London 1996.