Technology’s Impact on Personality?
This summer I will begin research for my thesis paper, which is the last step in my master’s degree program. I know I want to write my paper on something relating to social media, technology, and sociology, but I need to drill this down to a more specific topic. My thesis is one of the many reasons I started this blog…I need a place where I can chronicle my thoughts and bounce ideas off other people. Here’s what I’ve been thinking about lately. In my Saturday grad school class my professor, who HATES technology, said something very interesting:
” Technology crafts behavior and behavior overcomes one’s personality.”
I agree technology crafts one’s behavior. I definitely have changed the way I interact and work on things because of technology, but has this changed my personality? I’m not sure. Is it possible to have a behavioral change that doesn’t affect one’s personality? Technology has changed my interpersonal relationships and has expanded my network, but at the core I think I’m still me. If anything, I think I’m a better version of my myself because these tools have made me more efficient.
What are your thoughts? How has technology changed your behavior? Has it impacted your personality? Let me know what you think.
» January 17th, 2010 | Sociology
anna@aharperhess.com
Add me as a friend on Facebook 
Follow Me on Twitter!
My LinkedIn profile 
Subscribe to my blog
In basic ways, technology does change behavior. I used to answer the phone at home, now I answer it everywhere (including the car, bad me!). I used to read the newspaper, then I listened to public radio, and now I rely on twitter news feeds.
Are those habits really overcoming my personality? I don’t think so, because I think being an early adopter of technology is part of my personality. I want to be constantly informed and always have.
I have been pondering how technology changes relationships. My relationship with my husband is very strong as we keep in near constant contact with twitter, emails, texts, and phone calls. On the flip side, the more blogging becomes my profession, the less I relate to friends and family who don’t participate or even understand the technology. It’s an uncomfortable feeling, one that makes me talk in terms of being a writer instead of a blogger in many scenes.
PS. I’m a little embarrassed that I didn’t even know you had a blog! Thanks for tweeting this post so I could come visit.
PPS. Wow, super long comment.
Thanks for the insight. I completely agree technology is changing my relationships and I too am becoming frustrated with those in my life who don’t get it. I feel, if anything, technology is enhancing my personality.
Don’t be embarrassed! I just launched it last week and a super long comment is better then a generic comment with little to no insight.
Technology has clearly changed our behavior – that part of this question is easy. Who uses a phone book anymore? How about an atlas? Or an encyclopedia? Who buys a product without checking to see what others who have already purchased are saying?
I do not believe, however, that technology has altered the existing personality characteristics of the people I associate with. Technology has allowed those people to share their existing personalities (i.e. their thoughts, viewpoints, etc) with me more quickly and efficiently.
If one believes – as I do – that personality is formed primarily during childhood then I think the question becomes is technology changing the personalities of our children? Surely it is in some fashion, but hasn’t this always been true? Technological advancement has been a fundamental part of American character since our nation’s founding.
I feel sometimes technology allows us to feel freer, bolder to say things via e-mails, texting, and social media that we perhaps would not say face to face for risk of confrontation, ridicule or hurting some ones feelings. I don’t have to listen to some one else if they are not face to face,I can hit delete or skip over their post etc… Confrontations are less intimidating, ideas and thoughts I may be afraid to share otherwise, can be put out there. I know I have found out some things I didn’t know about people I have known for a long time just through their postings on facebook and twitter. A little glimpse into those inner thoughts we sometimes supress.
Thanks for the feedback Shauna! I agree it’s definitely changing my relationships.
Thanks for your thoughts Brandon.
Bess’s quotes on the subject of personal use of computers:
1975-Well it’s nice to be able to pull up lab reports but can’t see me having one of these at home.
1985- OK we’ll get a computer so the kids can do their homework but that internet stuff is just crazy!
1995-This thhig is so slow I can look it up faster!
1999- The internet is relly amazing!
2010- I love technology! Really!
Technology has made my life better but has not changed my personality. I worry about the generation growing up now- With technology has come intense survelence. I am concerned that children get a chance to be in solitude, to learn to relate to others without their parents intervention, to entertain themselves without ear buds and to walk through a forest without a cell phone and without fear because they don’t have their cell!
Technology changes behavior, there is no doubt. Who doesn’t know someone who plays with their blackberry throughout meetings, is talking loudly in the grocery through their bluetooth, texts while driving. I’m not convinced it changes your personality though — perhaps it just enhances certain parts of our personality…whether that is better or worse depends on the individual.
One definition of personality is •the complex of all the attributes–behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental–that characterize a unique individual. Technology does change behavior; but behavior is just one part of personality. Life is complex, and people are constantly adapting to the changes going on around them, to the extent that they are able. Behavior is just one part of a very fluid equation.