Unit 7 The Environment & the Human Condition
Overview
Personal wellbeing requires us to adapt to our environment in ways that promote our flourishing. The human-built environment has always shaped us in intended and unforeseen ways. The recent digital technologies are not unique however because of their pervasiveness we need to pay close attention in managing this domain for our personal well being. This ability to manage or change our behavior is one of the most significant challenges to one’s life project. This unit will also cover the latest evidenced based behavior change theories.
We have now completed the personal application assignments for the course and will now have you choose one of those practices that you found to be most beneficial for your well being. You will create a plan for a four-week practice of this new behavior in the flourishing proposal assignment.
This unit is divided into the following topics:
- Technology and the Good Life
- Behavior Change as part of intentional wellbeing
Learning Outcomes
- Explore the perspectives on adapting to new technologies.
- Explore the various behavior change theories
- Implement a behavior change strategy by creating a plan to change one behavior for four weeks.
Activity Checklist
Learning Activities
- Watch video Technology & Wellbeing (34 Min)
- Watch video brief history of technology and cities – (8 mins)
- Watch video on “Behavior Change Theories” – 19 mins
- Watch video “Habit Formation” – 8 mins
- Choose One behavior you wish to change
- Learning Lab: how technology usage effects your wellbeing
Assessment
- Review and Integration 7: Technology and Wellbeing quiz (4 questions)
- Flourishing Proposal Assignment: 3 page assignment (explained)
7.1 Technology
As technology becomes more and more integral to everything we do, it can sometimes distract us from the things that matter most to us. Technology corporations have learned how to commercialize your attention, which significantly limits your ability to interact with digital technology in ways that give us agency in our own wellbeing. How can we manage our technology to improve life and not distract from it. This unit explores technology and how it interacts with the human condition.
Activity: Technology & Wellbeing Video
In the video below (24 mins) Jack Reimer works through the set of slides. In this video he discusses how technologies have always shaped our environments and behavior. The challenge is to manage these created environments for our own well-being
Questions to Consider
- What technology do you use the most of and how does this information affect how you use that technology?
- How does your use of technology fit into your definition to wellbeing
- Based on McLuhan’s understanding of technology, what would you say, is the message of the smartphone?
Watch: Technology and Wellbeing
Keep technology in mind as you think about your definition of wellbeing. Might the insights you gain become part of your understanding of what it means to live well? Might they shape your leisure or social goals for the future?
I highly recommend a Netflix documentary titled “The Social Dilemma”. You can watch the trailer below.
Watch: THE SOCIAL DILEMMA Trailer (2020) Netflix
Activity: History of Technology and Cities Video
This video looks at the history and development of humanity from a technological point of view.
Watch: A brief story of Technology and Cities
7.2 Behaviour Change
Behaviour change is an important skill in learning to self manage. Behavioural management for wellbeing focuses us on shaping and maintaining positive behaviors while discouraging negative behaviours. We believe wellbeing is not something that just happens to us, but something we do or patterns of practice. These practices form the structure or architecture or our own wellbeing. This architecture of practices requires us to be able to alter and modify our own behavior. This topic will discuss the science of behaviour management. Go through the following resources with the flourishing plan assignment in mind.
Figure 7.1. Source: harvard.edu
Activity: Behavior Change Theories Video
This video reviews a variety of behavior change theories from health psychology, cognitive science, and behavioral economics. Apostle Paul says “why do I do the things I don’t want to and don’t do the things I want to” (Romans 7:15) this is the human condition. If we are to build an architecture of wellbeing it must take this feature of being human into account.
Watch: Behavior Change Theories
Activity: Habit Formation Video
- watch the video by James Clear
- As you watch this video follow what are the four stages of his habit formation model?
Watch: Atomic Habits: How to Get 1% Better Every Day - James Clear
- Read the following article is an extension of the James Clear video and further explains one of the stages. This article explains the relationship of “who we are” to the “habits we engage” in.
Stick to Your Goals This Year by Using Identity-Based Habits
Figure 7.2. Source: nirandfar.com
Activity: Habit Change Exercise
The exercise allows you to apply the concepts discussed in this unit to your life. Also this will be good practice for the Flourishing Proposal assignment later in this unit which requires you to formulate a plan for adding a new wellbeing behavior. Choose one behavior you would like to change to improve your wellbeing and make a plan using the latest science to make that change. See the document below titled “Choose a Behavior to Change”.
Download:
Unit Summary
In this unit you have had the opportunity to learn:
- How technology have played a large role in human development and humans have always had to learn how to use it for there own wellbeing. You have been able to assess the impact of technology on your personal wellbeing.
- You have been able to explore the various strategies of self management with the purpose of managing your environment and ultimately your behaviour to improve your own wellbeing.
Assessments
- Technology and Wellbeing quiz
- Flourishing Proposal assignment- explained (due in Unit 8)
Review and Integration 7: Technology and Wellbeing Quiz
After reviewing both videos in Topic 1, take the quiz at the bottom of this page. I will be looking for insights that demonstrate engagement with all the material.
Flourishing Proposal Assignment
Figure 7:3 Source: Quara
This assignment is a process in formally building your architecture of wellbeing. It is designed around Kolbs model of experiential learning with it’s four stage cycle; Experience, Reflection, Conceptualization and Active experimentation. We are going to start at the conceptualization stage which is were we plan for the active experimentation. We want to choose one practice that you want to participate in for the next four weeks. This practice can come form the PAA’s or be a different behavioral practice. This three page assingment has three parts: first page is using the science of behavior change creating a plan for adopting this practice into your every day schedule. Second page, is reporting on two research articles that support the use of this practice and the third page is a weekly log sheet you will use to track your practice. This assignment will then scaffold into the final portfolio where you will again submit the plan with the four weeks of completed log sheets and evaluate the plans success. Watch the explainer video and read through the assignment document below.
Watch: Behavior Change Theories
Download:
- Doc: Flourishing Proposal
Check your Learning
Before you move on to the next unit, you may want to check to make sure that you are able to:
Digital technology is becoming increasingly pervasive in our lives, also because your digital attention is highly commercialized it becomes of greater importance that you can self manage this portion of your life. Learning to use self management skills to alter your technology usage patterns toward the goals of your life project is critical for your wellbeing. Also understanding the Flourishing Proposal assignment is important for the next unit.
Before you move on, don’t forget to:
- Submit R&I 7: Technology and Well-being quiz