A new study shows a link between bad technology and higher stress levels of employees. Researchers from American computer company Dell Technologies led the study. Dell partnered with neuroscience company EMOTIV on the study.
The research involved experiments in which brainwaves were measured as people were put through a series of bad technology experiences. The experiments involved adults of many ages with different levels of computer skills. Subjects were tested with simple computer problems, like troubled sign-in operations. Others dealt with slow-peed connections to the Internet. Still others experienced system crashes.
“The moment people started using bad technology, we saw a doubling of their levels of stress,” said Olivier Oullier, president of EMOTIV. “I was a bit surprised by that, because you rarely see those levels going so high,” he added. The experiments showed that technologyrelated stress had a lasting effect, Oullier added. “People don’t relax back into calmness quickly. It takes a long time.”
In addition to tech failures affecting the mental health of employees, the problems can also affect a company’s business, the research found. For example, bad problems can reduce productivity, especially that of younger workers. The research showed a thirty percent production drop among study subjects under age 40.
“Bad experiences affect you regardless of computer literacy,” said Cile Montgomery, who leads customer experience efforts for Dell. “But young people seem to be even more impacted, because they expect technology to work.”
As stressful as the tech problems were for those in the study, Oullier said, such effects were likely to be even more severe in the real world. He said the subjects knew they were involved in an experiment so they may not have been as personally affected by the results.
12. Which of the following problems is not mentioned in the passage?
A.Slowspeed network. | B.System crashes. |
C.Identity theft. | D.Signin operations. |
13. What can be learned from the passage?
A.Adults involved in experiments are all expert at computer. |
B.Tech failures can lead to low productivity. |
C.Tech problems can ruin a company’s business greatly. |
D.Subjects were measured both their brainwaves and skills. |
14. What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A.Tech problems’ influences can be greater in reality. |
B.Subjects were not actively involved in experiments. |
C.Subjects were ignorant of experiments indeed. |
D.Subjects cared nothing about the results of experiments. |
15. What is the passage mainly about?
A.Tech problems linked to higher stress levels in workers. | B.Stressful tech failures in workplaces. |
C.A new study on stress levels. | D.Damage caused by tech problems. |