Larry D. Rosen

I have been mulling over whether to give this book a 4-star review, a 3-star, or a 5-star. Finally, I decided on a 4-star.

There is much useful material in the book, however, I think that it could have been condensed. The book has been divided into three sections, after the introduction. A review of how the brain processes information is in section 1. I think that, if the authors had accompanied this with diagrams, it would have helped.

For a first-time reader, it will be difficult to follow.

The second part focusses on the psychological, or behavioral, aspects. The useful aspect of this part is that the authors have assessed the distractions as per ager groups. However, they seem to have focussed on external distractions, not internal ones. A lot of this information could have been condensed.

The last section, which comprises the recommendations, again, could have been simplified. You can find this information in many places.

Still, they have combined three aspects: the brain, the 'psychological', and the 'recommendations' into one book

This is immensely helpful.… (más)

Are you worried that you may have an unhealthy relationship with your smartphone or computer? Are these devices taking over your life to the point that you’re ignoring real face-to-face communication opportunities? Does it make you extremely stressed when you find yourself in a situation where you’re unable to check your incoming texts, emails, or Facebook for a few hours? Perhaps you know someone close to you who has these problems. If so, Larry Rosen’s most recent popular psychology self-help book, “iDisorder: Understanding Our Obsessions with Technology and Overcoming its Hold on Us,” might be the perfect antidote.

The book is easy to read and is full of interesting examples and stories. It is a collaborative effort by three professors working at the George March Applied Cognition Laboratory at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH): Larry Rosen, Nancy Cheever, and Mark Carrier. It was designed as a psychological self-help book aimed at helping people recognize and overcome their obsessions with technology. Dr. Rosen is a recognized international expert on the “Psychology of Technology.” In this work, he and his collaborative authors bring to light a number of interesting studies they have carried out in this area of study at their CSUDH laboratory. The book has a large useful section of academic footnotes at the end.

According to the authors, our “overreliance on gadgets and websites has created an enmeshed relationship with technology and this relationship can cause significant problems in our psyche.” They call these problems iDisorders and they are convinced that much of the technology that we use daily “coerce us to act in ways that may be detrimental to our well-being.” The authors are not arguing that “we are all crazy and technology is to blame;” rather they aim to show that often “our actions and behaviors when we use technology make us appear out of control.”

It’s essential that readers cover the first chapter thoroughly, and naturally, it’s always a good idea to examine the concluding chapter. But the authors encourage complete flexibility in the ten chapters in between. The authors encourage us to read these ten chapters in whatever order we find interesting or to skip any chapter that we feel may not apply to us or be of interest. Each of these ten chapters covers a specific common psychiatric disorder; all are communication disorders. The ten disorders are: 1) narcissism; 2) obsessive-compulsive disorder; 3) addiction; 4) depression, bipolar disorder, and mania; 5) attention-deficit disorder; 6) social phobia, antisocial personality disorder, and autism; 7) hypochondriasis, 8) body dysmorphic disorder 9) schizo-disorders, and 10) voyeurism. In each chapter, the authors discuss clinical psychological studies that show how modern technology either imbue us all with signs and symptoms of one of these psychiatric communication disorders or else exacerbate and increase existing symptoms. In all cases, the authors demonstrate how psychologically and emotionally unhealthy this can be, then clearly and succinctly set out concrete suggestions to help rid us of these problems.

Most of the solutions are sensible and achievable by motivated individuals; however, some are may be downright difficult to implement. For example, if you are addicted to reality TV and it is exacerbating your already existing mild narcissistic tendencies and pushing you along the path toward a body dysmorphic disorder, the author’s suggest that you “take a nature break.” If you’re mildly addicted to a specific reality TV show, that might work, but if you are so enamored with a series and caught up with the characters and their situations that you can’t wait for the next episode, I don’t think this type of addict is going to willingly take a “nature break” instead of watching the next episode.

This book should please people who enjoy psychology self help books; it’s light, easily understood, and contains a lot of fascinating anecdotes. The book appears—at least on the surface—to be applicable to just about anyone except total Luddites. The authors have designed the text so that almost all of us will see ourselves mirrored in many of the behaviors covered in these chapters.

However, if you have read a lot of psychology books and already have a fair understanding about the ten disorders covered in the main chapters, and you also have a fair understanding about the dangers of technology and the basics of staying mentally healthy in our stressful, chaotic, and overstimulated world—or even if you have an unusually good mind and strong common sense—this book will probably not suit your needs. It is specifically aimed at the psychological novice and I recommend it to that audience.

If on the other hand, you’re addicted to psychological self-help books, and specifically to those which discuss the dangers of modern technology, then this book is right up your alley…and I recommend it to you, too…but I need to add that you should see yourself clearly in Chapter Four on addiction. Whether or not you’ll abide by the suggestions you find there at the end of the chapter…well, I’d be curious to know. Please, leave me a comment if you do!… (más)