Have You Become Too Attached And Dependent On Technology?
Take this Quiz to Find Out
In their book, TechnoStress: Coping With Technology @WORK @HOME @PLAY, Michelle M. Weil, Ph.D. and Larry D. Rosen, Ph.D. assert that the growing dependence on technology affects us negatively. We count on our machines to do so much that when something goes wrong with our technology we are thrown into a tailspin. According to Weil and Rosen, "People allow themselves to be sucked into this technological abyss, and in doing so they become more machine-oriented and less sensitive to their own needs and the needs of others. Some people become so immersed in technology that they risk losing their own identity." This is called "Technosis."
Are You a Victim of Technosis?
© 1997-2002 Michelle M. Weil and Larry D. Rosen
Yes
No
Do you feel stressed if you haven't checked your voice or e-mail within the last 12 hours? Yes
No
Do you feel as if you can't cook a meal without technological gadgets? Yes
No
Do you become upset when you can't find an ATM for quick cash? Yes
No
Do you have difficulty writing without sitting in front of your computer? Yes
No
Do you have a hard time determining when you are finished researching a topic on the Internet? Yes
No
Do you feel less adequate than your highly technologized peers? Yes
No
Do you rely on pre-programmed systems to contact others?
If you answered "Yes" to any of these questions, you may be suffering from "Technosis." Victims of Technosis develop an attachment to technology. It grows slowly, but before people know it, they have lost sight of where they end and technology begins. Symptoms of Technosis include overdoing work and never feeling finished, believing faster is better, and not knowing how to function successfully without technology.
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More information on related topics can be found at either Dr. Weil's or Dr. Rosen's web sites.