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Cybercognition
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Cybercognition
Brain, behaviour and the digital world

First Edition


April 2017 | 248 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd

Technology is developing rapidly. It is an essential part of how we live our daily lives – in a mental and physical sense, and in professional and personal environments.

Cybercognition explores the ideas of technology addiction, brain training and much more, and will provide students with a guide to understanding concepts related to the online world.

It answers important questions:

  • What is the impact of digital technology on our learning, memory, attention, problem-solving and decision making?
  • If we continue to use digital technology on a large scale, can it change the way we think?
  • Can human cognition keep up with technology?

Suitable for students on Cyberpsychology and Cognitive Psychology courses at all levels, as well as anyone with an inquiring mind.

 

 
1. Exploring the concept of Cyberspace
 
2. The Human Information Processor
 
3. The Population(s) of Cyberspace
 
4. Attracting Attention in the Digital Environment
 
5. Digital Gaming, Brain Training and Cognition
 
6. Multitasking
 
7. Task Switching and Digital Technology; The Impact of Interruptions
 
8. Technology and Education
 
9. Decision Making in the Online Environment; Credibility
 
10. Search Strategies and Heuristics
 
11. Technology Addictions and Cognition
 
12. The End - Where do we go from here?

Hadlington's book fills a void in the library of academic tones in this field...the breadth of topics included is impressive, and there are dedicated chapters to the much-debated topics of technology addictions and brain training applications (which) also encourage readers to consider all sides of these debates. The author takes complex topics, presents them in a highly engaging and thorough format, and encourages the reader to apply the research data to their own daily interactions with technology. He also carefully considers the peer-reviewed research in the field, avoiding sensationalism in favour of basing his conclusions on evidence-based studies. It is, in all, an excellent read, engaging and informative for undergraduates, postgraduates, and academic staff alike.

Grainne Kirwan
The Psychologist - The British Psychological Society

Written in a clear, concise and accessible style, this book will keep readers engaged and reading on.

Dr Daria J. Kuss
Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Nottingham Trent University

The language of the book is lucid and impressive, and the sections follow a natural flow. Some of most influential aspects of the book include learning aims at the start of each chapter, Information snippets and questions to consider, detailed tables and figures, and a chapter summary that is informative and elegantly written.

The book covers the effects of being online on such cognitive processes as memory, perception, and attention. and is written for undergraduate and graduate students of cyberpsychology and cognitive psychology.

Naveen Kashyap
Indian Institute of Technology
Psychology Learning & Teaching

 In Cybercognition, Hadlington explores two questions; in accessing the virtual world of the Internet, are we different cognitively than when we operate in the physical world, and do our interactions with this virtual world change us cognitively. 

Hadlington reflects on a broad sampling of cognitive research to explore questions such as; does experience with video games and computer-based exercises improve our cognitive functions, what is multitasking and do we get better at it, how are the frequent interruptions we get from our digital devices affecting the way we do other things, how are digital technologies affecting education, and how might we assess the credibility of information we find on the Internet.

Rather than selecting research to support a good story, Hadlington offers a balanced sampling, one that more truthfully represents what is known in this area. If you are looking for information and credibility rather than entertainment, this is a good place to start.

Gavan Lintern
Frontiers in Psychology

This book is written in a sharp and well-supported style, providing plenty of evidence-based arguments. The "Learning Aims and Objectives" available at the start of each chapter provide a valuable guide to the reader.

Regarding the core contents of this edition, the impact of digital technology in task performance across a variety of contexts (e.g., educational settings) is comprehensively covered. The same applies to the diversity of self-interruptions according to the device in use. In a very appealing chapther, the author fully examines "trial and error" approaches to problem solving in specific settings, as well as the efects of multitasking and task-switching costs. All those subjects are key to experimental design in several fields of Psychology.

The usefulness of digital games and digital game paradigms is also explored, including the potential benefits for cognitive skills training. Further, the constraints of information processing in digital environments are also examined, including the effectiveness of attention drivers on distinct types of tasks. Those are key topics regarding the broad human exposure to digital web environments. The same applies to the reliance (i.e., credibility) on the internet for decision-making, which is becoming an increasingly hot topic. Finally, both the "heuristics for search strategies" and the "cognitive impact of excessive technology use" wrap up this edition with excelence.

Dr Amadeu Martins
Psychology, Universidade Europeia Laureate International Universities
May 15, 2018

For instructors

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