During different stages of development, self-regulation and delayed gratification are concepts which are common. As a child grows to adulthood, he or she interacts with various social, psychological, emotional, and physical factors which demand flexibility and ability to choose appropriate behaviors and activities and discard the unacceptable behaviors. Such a capability is known as self-regulation. Self-regulation is the ability that helps people have the energy to control and regulate their behaviors in a socially acceptable manner. Self-regulation has a link with a delayed gratification which means the ability to manage the present pleasures and joy for the sake of an activity which may bring benefits in the future ( Baumeister, Bratslavsky & Muraven 2018). Technology has a significant influence in both concepts.
The introduction of technology brought many changes in social interactions, education, and culture. Currently, people have improved on their self-regulation and delayed gratitude due to the use of technology. For example, students use computers and other Smartphone to access information on the internet on the presence or absence of the tutors. Notably, these devices have different destructive elements such as Facebook, music videos and movies that hinder learning. As a result, the student must learn how to regulate his behaviors while using these devices. The student has to learn to prioritize his or her time for learning using the computer or time to listen to music ( MILLER, Järvelä & HADWIN, 2017). They have to use their delayed gratitude ability to forego the pleasure of listening to music or chatting with friends on Facebook for learning which has future benefits. The same manner of control is applicable in different organizations where employees use technology such as computers to perform their tasks other than surfing in the internet.
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Self-regulation has different areas that are vulnerable to technology influence. A good example is a cognitive area. Cognitive self-regulation allows people to use their mental capacity to challenge an issue or solve a problem in a persistence manner. Technology is at the center of cognitive self-regulation. Technology presents different issues which demand a solution in the contemporary world ( Uzun & Kilis, 2019). For example, technology has benefits and challenges which people need to understand and make a decision. In the current world, the press is spreading awareness of the dangers of using technology as well as its outstanding benefits. As a result, cognitive self-regulation is critical for decision making about using the technology in beneficial or destructive manner.
Impulsive reaction includes agitation, destruction of properties and self-harm. It has a close tie with socially beneficial behaviors. In some circumstance, people do consider the society’s perception before they react impulsively. A good example is TV show double Kara. In thisTV shows, Kara intend to punish her twin sister Sara after betraying her, but retrieves after thinking of how the family may perceive her upon getting the news. She resort to helping her solve family issue, and work towards making their relationship better.
Different studies assert that a link exists between technology and self-regulation as well as delayed gratification. For example research by Baumeister and Vohs (2018) states that technology provides a field where people improve with regards to delayed gratification and self-regulation. The study is seconded by Uzun and Kilis (2019) provides a case study of companies that replace workers with technological system for future benefits. The authors assert that a good number of companies in the contemporary world replace their talented workers with technology. The reason, in this case, is simple. The workers provide the companies with immediate benefits within a specific range. The workers are already familiar with the operations, and the company is sure that there are low risks when workers are engaged in particular tasks than if they use new technology. However, such companies go ahead and replace them with a new technological system that has a lot of risks and uncertainties. In this case, therefore, such organizations risk the current pleasure the workers provide for the sake of the future benefits the technology system is likely to bring to the company.
In summary, technology influences self-regulation and delayed gratitude by training the mind to concentrate on the beneficial tasks and ignore the responsibilities that are destructive. Alternatively, technology also gives people the courage to risk the popular leisure or tasks that are beneficial in a situation where engaging in a different task using the same resources would results to a significant benefit in the future.
References
Baumeister, R. F., & Vohs, K. D. (2018). Strength model of self-regulation as a limited resource: Assessment, controversies, update. In Self-Regulation and Self-Control (pp. 86-136). Routledge.
Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., & Muraven, M. (2018). Ego depletion: Is the active self a limited resource? In Self-Regulation and Self-Control (pp. 24-52). Routledge.
MILLER, M., Järvelä, S., & HADWIN, A. (2017). Self-regulation, co-regulation, and shared regulation in collaborative learning environments. In Handbook of self-regulation of learning and performance (pp. 99-122). Routledge.
Uzun, A. M., & Kilis, S. (2019). Does persistent involvement in media and technology lead to lower academic performance? Evaluating media and technology use about multitasking, self-regulation and academic achievement. Computers in Human Behavior , 90 , 196-203.
