The Big Picture.

Cognition researchers are of the opinion that people, generally, take in the things they see as a whole first and then focus on the details. Children also process what they see in this way but a new study offers evidence of how modern technology is changing how kids perceive the world. 

The atypical attention style in mobile user children is not necessarily bad - but different for sure - and we cannot ignore this...for example in pedagogy - Krisztina Liszaki-Peres, co-author of the study.

Digital Dimension

The stereotype of young children being glued to handheld devices has been around for years, yet it's not easy to pin down how this changes their mental development. This recent study in the journal Computers in Human Behaviour looked at the attention pattern of 120 kids aged between 4 and 6.

Study Method

Before being shown a picture of the sun and the stars, some of the kids played a mobile game while the others played a non-digital game.

Those who played the mobile game noticed the stars first when they saw the picture. Kids who played physically noticed the Sun first first. Noticing the stars first indicates prioritised attention to local details, whereas registering the Sun first suggests a global or overall focus.

Research Implications

Does the study results mean kids who play a lot of mobile games have a radically different perception of the world? Short answer : We can't say for sure yet. What the results do indicate is that at a time when the human brain is plastic, any prolonged exposure to digital devices could have could have significant long-term impact.

Paths Of The Mind

Past studies suggest that those who focus a lot on details tend to be analytical in thinking but are "less creative and have weaker social skills", said a release from Alpha Generation Lab at the Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest. If this is true then increased exposure to digital devices may mean that this generation of children, who were born after 2010, may grow up to be more scientific and less artistic and social.

Tailpiece.

Got up at our usual time, the chores, carried out the usual Wednesday 'aarathi' of the house and was ready by a half past 9. The day was marred with frequent power interruptions. Lekha, along with the maid, had gone to the ration shop to get the kit, marked for February.

Hamid dropped me at the Rajah Hospital at 5. After about half an hour's wait, could meet the doctor, who removed the 6 stitches and had said that the course of treatment was over. Took leave of the doctor without much ado and made it a short farewell, as I did not want to delay the other patients waiting to meet him. 

The cyst removal and the healing of the wound had taken up a fortnight! Phew!!