Event Description

Register for the event here.

We are living through the largest psychological experiment in history. For often hours each day, billions of us bury ourselves in devices designed to manipulate our emotions and attention. Changing the human mind to be more compulsive and addicted is simply good business for many tech companies, but it may be having a profound effect on our mental health. “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” asked a cover story in The Atlantic, citing skyrocketing rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide among young smartphone users.

And yet— what does the research really say about how tech use affects our happiness? Is the modern “techlash” too pessimistic? Is tech just the latest punching bag for age-old issues like addiction and depression? How are smartphones changing the way we focus, socialize, and experience emotion? Can phones actually help us lead happier, more meaningful lives? Join us as we discuss the ways the little devices in our pockets are having a big effect on our minds.

Featuring Gonzaga University professors Monica Bartlett, Kirk Besmer, and Lisa Silvestri. Moderated by Spokesman Review journalist, Shawn Vestal. Event is free and open to the public. Register here.