Adapting New Technology Might Start at Younger Age

World Today

It’s long been viewed that younger people adapt to technology quicker than older people. But now, there’s some new evidence that we’re not just talking about teenagers versus their grandparents, or even their parents. Mark Niu has details on a new study from the University of Berkeley, California that shows the difference may start much earlier.

Adapting New Technology Might Start at Younger Age

It's long been viewed that younger people adapt to technology quicker than older people. But now, there's some new evidence that we're not just talking about teenagers versus their grandparents, or even their parents. Mark Niu has details on a new study from the University of Berkeley, California that shows the difference may start much earlier.

Teenagers and university students around the world are known for their ability to adapt quickly to new gadgetry and technology.

But a new study from the University of California-Berkeley shows how they were outsmarted by a group that’s even younger.

More than 100 preschoolers played this game that involved placing shapes on a box.

If it lit up and played music, it was triggered by an object fictionally called a blicket. The goal was to determine which objects were blickets.

But with different combinations used, the answer wasn’t always straightforward. That became apparent when Berkeley college students went through the same experiment.
Researchers believe the success of the kids has to do with flexibility. The preschoolers were able to entertain unlikely possibilities to figure out what eventually works.

The study shows that adults can learn a lot from children, such as how to explore new environments and by bringing in people who don’t have an expertise in your field for a fresh look at your problems.

Researchers were surprised to find such a glaring difference that clearly underscored the belief that adults tend to fall back on what they already know, while children enjoy taking on something new.