Is Technology Changing Our Brains? - Dacher Keltner

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2009/02/05/Dacher_Keltner_in_Conversation

"When you look at the literature of human adaptation, what we know is that we are these amazingly exquisite communication instruments," says UC Berkeley psychology professor Dacher Keltner. He fears excessive dependence on technology is "depriving" humans the opportunity to properly develop communication skills.

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Why have we evolved positive emotions like gratitude, amusement, awe and compassion? Dacher Keltner, professor of psychology at UC Berkeley, offers a profound study of how emotion is the key to living the good life. - Los Angeles Public Library

Dacher Keltner, Professor of Psychology, is a social psychologist who focuses on the prosocial emotions, such as love, sympathy and gratitude, and processes such as teasing and flirtation that enhance bonds. He has conducted empirical studies in three areas of inquiry. A first looks at the determinant and effects of power, hierarchy and social class. A second in concerned with the morality of everyday life, and how we negotiate moral truths in teasing, gossip, and other reputational matters. A third and primary focus in on the biological and evolutionary basis of the benevolent affects, including compassion, awe, love, gratitude, and laughter and modesty. Professor Keltner is Co-Director of The Greater Good Science Center.

Keltner is most recently the author of Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life.

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[Mjhavok]

De-evolving? It would still be evolving. Just in a different direction. No such thing as de-evolving.

[dichotomyofone]

This guy is clueless about technology to make such a boast. We've web cams, for example, video conferencing and the like that is available that takes away from the mystery of just chatting online with a stranger. He may as well of made the argument that talking on the phone all the time makes facial gesture recognition deteriorate over time and this is an olllld technology. Soon he'll say radio kills the need for live music.

[Trailer1220]

It is very possible to improve upon the hardwiring of the brain...

Different is not always worse...

We are on the brink of an evolutionary leap forward, and technology will largely be the catalyst for this change.

It's too late to fight it, going to have to try and use our tools wisely for the collective betterment of humanity.

[soumyaaymous]

@NoDeity it may not be that simple..the way in which we judge whether something is valuable or good often has its roots in some ancient instinct that evolved ages ago ..

[soumyaaymous]

@LadyRuin2012 yes but after a while you did meet him face to face...you 2 were in the physical presence of each other...that is important..thats what he was saying

[soumyaaymous]

0:00 skip add

[Broken915]

@dichotomyofone Well not everyone uses webcams. And I think he is referring to things like texting. you don't web cam chat on your phone you just text. Video games for example are another way people meet each other and more often then not, no one will asks to see the actual person through a picture or a video. In a way its kind of like getting to know people without ever knowing/meeting them.

But still I doubt that technology is "de-evolving" us... well at least for ppl who live normal lives.

[Mjhavok]

@The45DegreesProject De-evolving? Becoming less adapted to its environment?

[The45DegreesProject]

@Mjhavok i think that what he is saying is that, the part of the brain that has evolved before technology was there is de-evolving and that other parts are evolving

[LadyRuin2012]

What a jerk. I met my husband over the internet and we're happy.

[NoDeity]

"Well good luck reproducing the species."

What a dick. The drive to reproduce has nothing to do with the well-being of the individual and everything to do with blind and unthinking instinct and has absolutely nothing to tell us about whether or not something is good or valuable.