Technology and the Anxious Self

Virtual Presentation

Speaker: Diana Magaldi

This presentation considers technology’s effect on mental health, exploring the possibilities technology affords along with the anxiety it engenders. Using clinical case examples and current research, we consider how social media influences self-concept and identity formation. We will explore the variegated meanings, implications, and impact of the technologies that have crept into almost all aspects of our lives. The presentation prompts investigation into when our technology use is healthy and when it is problematic. We will consider the data that identifies when our responsiveness to our phones can be compulsive, and the paradox inherent in technology use - preoccupation while using it and preoccupation when separated from it. We consider how technology is not only shaping our experience of ourselves but also our relationship to others, at a time when our personal emotional disclosures are now more likely to take place on Snapchat and Instagram than face to face. What does it mean then for us and our relationships when we replace presence with virtual connectivity? This presentation presents findings on how emotional connection is complicated, enriched and sometimes troubled by the introduction of technology, allowing participants to examine their relationship with technology in a thoughtful, considered way.