Temple students investigate social media influence
Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, a professor of psychology at Temple, had a difficult challenge for her students: Go a full day without texting, tweeting or posting on Facebook. Of the 31 people in the class, only 14 made it. Next, students observed how others use technology. They concluded that multitasking is a myth: Almost everyone using a smartphone while doing another task failed at that other task. Shoppers would leave the store without their wallets; a mother dropped her child’s hand to answer her phone as they were crossing a busy street. Students who participated in the experiment now see technology usage differently.
April 25, 2011 | Metro