Thumbs Become Dominant 'Fingers' In GameBoy Generation

Reuters ^ | 24-March-2002 | Reuters

[altair]

LONDON (Reuters) - The use of gadgets such as mobile phones and GameBoys has caused a physical mutation in young people's hands, according to a British Sunday newspaper.

New research carried out in nine cities around the world shows that the thumbs of people under the age of 25 have taken over as the hand's most dexterous digit, said The Observer.

The change affects those who have grown up with hand-held devices where the thumbs are used for keying in text messages and emails.

"The relationship between technology and the users of technology is mutual. We are changing each other," said Dr. Sadie Plant of Warwick University's Cybernetic Culture Research Unit.

"Discovering that the younger generation has taken to using thumbs in a completely different way and are instinctively using thumbs where the rest of us are using our index fingers is particularly interesting."

In her research, Plant noticed that while those less used to mobile phones used one or several fingers to access the keypad, younger people used both thumbs ambidextrously, barely looking at the keys as they made rapid entries.

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[altair]

How you can possibly type with the thumb on a cell phone is beyond me, or I just have large hands. The GameBoy is a completely different matter.

[Blowtorch]

How you can possibly type with the thumb on a cell phone is beyond me, or I just have large hands.

Or you could be one of those "less used to mobile phones."

[altair]

It could be. I am definitely not of the GameBoy Generation. I've had a cell phone less than three years and a GameBoy about six months.

[Notforprophet]

I don't know. This sounds bogus to me, kind of like the giraffes who got longer necks because they were always stretching to reach the higher leaves on trees.

[Maceman]

The use of gadgets such as mobile phones and GameBoys has caused a physical mutation in young people's hands, according to a British Sunday newspaper.

I doubt this is a true physical mutation. I'm guessing that if all the game boys disappeared, the offspring off these kids would not show this manifestation.

Anyone can see that years of repeated physical motion will rewire the brain -- otherwise there would be no musicians. But that is not a mutation.

[Amore]

You're right, it's not a "mutation." It's simply a case of increased dexterity, brought on by frequent use of the thumb. Still, the phenomenon IS interesting.

[xm177e2]

In her research, Plant noticed that while those less used to mobile phones used one or several fingers to access the keypad, younger people used both thumbs ambidextrously, barely looking at the keys as they made rapid entries.

And that's how we use graphing calculators...