Christopher Cocchiarella

Regular contributor and lead editor of mindfultechnics.com

Information and communications technology in the workplace – Part I: Tacit vs. explicit knowledge

Deciding what information and communications technology to use at work Over the years, electronic communication has become the norm, both in our private and professional lives.  Thanks to innovations in information and communications technology (ICT), we now have everything from online messaging services (such as emails and instant messages) to audio-video conferencing applications (like conference … Read more

Online outrage culture on social media, and how to mitigate it

Why social media incentivize online outrage culture It’s no secret—during election years in particular—that online outrage culture dominates plenty of social media. That’s especially true whenever politics come up. According to Pew Research, social media users in the U.S. are now more likely to describe political discourse as “stressful and frustrating” on sites such as … Read more

Humanistic technical writing: the ethics of communicating science and technology

From technical writing to humanistic technical writing Over my years as a technical writer, I’ve learned that technical communication is sometimes a misunderstood profession. Occasionally, I meet people who think technical writers are professionals who write long, complicated documents about science and technology. Actually, I tell them, technical communication is practically the opposite. In truth, … Read more

Digital distraction and its discontents: book review of ‘The Shallows’ and ‘Distracted’

Digital distraction and the loss of depth and meaning Do smart devices hinder our ability to think deeply? Are social networking sites displacing meaningful connections in the real world? Over the years, researchers have asked such questions about digital distraction, and not without reason. As smartphone ownership has risen and social media use has increased, … Read more

Extended mind theory: out of your head, into your technology

Why are smart device ‘smart’? Perhaps they’re part of an extended mind! Harkening back to my 1980s childhood, I remember, almost nostalgically, the analogue experience of calling my friends on the phone. How different it felt compared to the digital experience today. As a kid, I’d walk over to the landline, pick up the corded … Read more

Distracted driving laws and why they need to improve

Distracted driving laws FAQs Those who have followed my writing as of late probably noticed I’ve felt a need to write about the problem of distracted driving, including shortcomings with some distracted driving laws in my state (Minnesota) and other states. For instance, on this site, I’ve written about research on distracted driving and distracted … Read more

The science of expertise: book review of ‘Peak’

The science of expertise vs. ‘talent’ Anders Ericsson is a psychologist who studies how people acquire expert skill and knowledge. It’s research known as the science of expertise. (Notice we say expertise and not talent—we’ll soon see why.) Basically, Ericsson is an expert on how to become an expert. In a book written with mathematician … Read more

Explaining the Internet paradox: book review of “The Village Effect”

From the Internet paradox to the village effect The British sitcom The IT Crowd once ran a hilarious episode about a fictional social networking site called “Friendface” (a parody of social media like Facebook). “Isn’t it great the way Friendface brings people together,” says Jen, one of the main characters of the show. However, contrary … Read more