ATR asked Schulz Van Endert to tell us about his fascinating research on young children and their uses of digital devices.
Dear ATR: My doctoral research was about the relationship between use of digital devices (smartphones, tablets etc.) and impulsive decision-making (choosing smaller, immediate rewards instead of larger, delayed rewards) – with the overarching goal of enabling more prudent use of digital technologies, based on knowledge not just about their benefits but also their risks.
It seems that the best we can do and teach our children is to cultivate self-control, i.e. the ability to align one’s thoughts, emotions and behavior with set goals. Fortunately, that is something athletes learn naturally if they want to excel in their sport.
Now that I’ve finished my doctoral research, I will stay at Free University Berlin for another semester to analyze brain scans and other behavioral data we collected as part of a European Union-funded research project DIGYMATEX (www.digymatex.eu). In the Fall, I will most likely return to management consulting to support companies in the transition towards sustainability. My wife Maxine is working hard on her career as a fashion photographer (www. maxinevanendert.com). So, children will have to wait another 2-3 years. We both still love and play tennis – and we are excited about our upcoming trip to the French Open in June!
Go Aztecs!
Tim Schulz Van Endert