Yellow Sandbox

In an abstract titled Assessing Beliefs about Lighting Effects on Health, Performance, Mood, and Social Behavior by Jennifer A. Veitch and Robert Gifford the correlation between fluorescent lighting and mood / social behavior is examined. Full text here

Energy conservation through the adoption of new, energy-efficient technologies will succeed only to the extent that the new technologies are not themselves perceived as risk sources. Previous research has found that beliefs about the health effects of fluorescent lighting predict compact fluorescent lamp use in homes. This paper describes the development and validation of a questionnaire to assess beliefs about the effects of common types of interior lighting on human health, work performance, mood, and social behavior. Principal components analysis of the 32-item Lighting Beliefs Questionnaire revealed 6 interpretable components: Lighting Importance, Brightness, Major Health Effects: Fluorescent Lighting, Minor Health Effects: Fluorescent Lighting, Social Setting, and Daylighting. The questionnaire may be used to explore responses to interior lighting and to discover what beliefs are held by end users. This information will assist in allaying unwarranted fears and concerns about new lighting technologies.

The surge of online social site usage, sometimes at the expense of ‘real world’ social connections, has many thought leaders questioning if social networks create anti-social behavior.  In an interesting article found here author Blake Deppe dives in to this controversy.  Below is what Mr. Deppe commented about cell phone usage:

According to PC Mag, children should perhaps stop checking Facebook and Twitter on their phones, or at least do it less often. A new study warned that constantly looking at social media updates on smart phones, for instance, could create a worrisome ‘checking habit.’

However, found the study, “smart phone-related habits are not yet perceived as problematic. Some consider it an annoyance, but many positive experiences are mentioned as well.” The study added that beneficial aspects of social networking via cell phones included, “entertainment, time-killing, and diversion.”

Rosen, according to PC World, furthermore noted that there are also a number of positive aspects to the social media experience overall. One was his surprising observation that young people can gain “virtual empathy,” which can then be carried over into real life. He added Facebook and similar networks could also be beneficial tools for those who are introverted or nervous, allowing them to connect with people and achieve a sense of community. Furthermore, if utilized properly, social networks can be used as teaching tools.

As for younger children, Rosen added, parental website monitoring wasn’t necessarily the answer. “If you feel that you have to use some sort of computer program to surreptitiously monitor your child’s social networking, you are wasting your time. Your child will find a workaround in a matter of minutes.”

Ultimately, Rosen believes parents should “do more listening than lecturing” when handling this type of situation.

“The ratio of parent listen to parent talk should be at least five-to-one,” Rosen said. “Talk one minute,” he advised, “and listen for five.”

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Solid advice for parents concerned about their children’s usage of unlocked cell phones.