The biological implications of social networking

I’ve just read a fascinating article which looks at what happens on a physiological level when someone experiences social isolation.

Whether in or out of the home, more people of all ages in the UK are physically and socially disengaged from the people around them because they are wearing earphones, talking or texting on a mobile telephone, or using a laptop or Blackberry.

The article is not an easy read, and what it seems to be saying (if I may be allowed to give a simplistic summary) is that as we connect more and more virtually, we are doing so less and less physically, and if you are feeling socially isolated this causes biological changes which make you more susceptible to illness.

This article first appeared in Computers in Classrooms, the free e-newsletter for educational ICT professionals. Read the latest issue.