ARE WE BECOMING ADDICTED TO TECHNOLOGY?

Technology has been beneficial in many ways. It has become normal for grandmothers to check the weather, send a text, pay a bill and look up a restaurant review in about five minutes on the same device — all while listening to music, of course.

A recent study done at the University of Maryland found people might be addicted to technology. After asking a group of college students to give up all technology for 24 hours, including iPods, cell phones and laptops, participants reported feelings of withdrawal and anxiety.

That is not so surprising, considering children age 8 through 18 spend an average 7.5 hours per day using such devices. Or that half of teens, 12 through 17, report sending 50 or more text messages per day, and one-third send 100 or more.

One study participant described sending a text message every minute or so, and felt ashamed for not being able to go 24 hours without a cell phone. Even more damaging than occupying the time of teenagers is the potential effect so much technology might have on how children develop.

Researchers are beginning to question if they will become less interested in face-to-face interactions.

People are not shocked and amazed by technology like they used to be.

They are important for social and emotional skills, such as reading body language or feeling empathy. Some parents point out that social-networking sites such as Facebook have been particularly helpful in starting friendships for children too shy to interact in person. The question is, how big of a role should technology play in our lives?