Frictionless and Forgettable: How Tech Undermines Friendship and Creativity
The Cost of Convenience: How Technology is Redefining Connection and Creativity
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston digs into the impact of technological convenience on our emotional and cognitive lives. Inspired by a conversation with Jason Miller, Leslie explores how platforms like Facebook and generative AI tools are stripping away meaningful friction from our interactions, creativity, and mental tasks, leading to reduced emotional investment and cognitive development. The episode discusses concepts like emotional labor, effort justification, intermittent reinforcement, and the importance of cognitive friction for real connection and growth. Leslie also addresses the balance between accessibility and meaningful challenge, urging listeners to choose their frictions wisely and remain intentional about the technologies they adopt.
00:00 Introduction and Inspiration
00:38 The Impact of Social Media on Friendships
02:48 Emotional Labor and Effort Justification
08:38 The Role of Friction in Creativity
14:31 The Downside of Frictionless Technology
18:52 Balancing Accessibility and Meaningful Engagement
21:05 Conclusion: Embracing Productive Friction
References
Aaru, J. (2025) Artificial Intelligence and the Internal Processes of Creativity. The Journal of Creative Behavior. 59(2)
Al-Zahrani, A.M. (2024) Balancing Act: Exploring the Interplay Between Human Judgement and Artificial Intelligence in Problem-Solving, Creativity, and Decision-Making. IgMin Research. 2(3): 145-158
Alter, A. L., Oppenheimer, D. M., Epley, N., & Eyre, R. N. (2007). Overcoming intuition: Metacognitive difficulty activates analytic reasoning. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 136(4), 569–576.
Bjork, R. A. (1994). Memory and metamemory considerations in the training of human beings. In J. Metcalfe & A. P. Shimamura (Eds.), Metacognition: Knowing about knowing (pp. 185–205). MIT Press.
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston digs into the impact of technological convenience on our emotional and cognitive lives. Inspired by a conversation with Jason Miller, Leslie explores how platforms like Facebook and generative AI tools are stripping away meaningful friction from our interactions, creativity, and mental tasks, leading to reduced emotional investment and cognitive development. The episode discusses concepts like emotional labor, effort justification, intermittent reinforcement, and the importance of cognitive friction for real connection and growth. Leslie also addresses the balance between accessibility and meaningful challenge, urging listeners to choose their frictions wisely and remain intentional about the technologies they adopt.
00:00 Introduction and Inspiration
00:38 The Impact of Social Media on Friendships
02:48 Emotional Labor and Effort Justification
08:38 The Role of Friction in Creativity
14:31 The Downside of Frictionless Technology
18:52 Balancing Accessibility and Meaningful Engagement
21:05 Conclusion: Embracing Productive Friction
References
Aaru, J. (2025) Artificial Intelligence and the Internal Processes of Creativity. The Journal of Creative Behavior. 59(2)
Al-Zahrani, A.M. (2024) Balancing Act: Exploring the Interplay Between Human Judgement and Artificial Intelligence in Problem-Solving, Creativity, and Decision-Making. IgMin Research. 2(3): 145-158
Alter, A. L., Oppenheimer, D. M., Epley, N., & Eyre, R. N. (2007). Overcoming intuition: Metacognitive difficulty activates analytic reasoning. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 136(4), 569–576.
Bjork, R. A. (1994). Memory and metamemory considerations in the training of human beings. In J. Metcalfe & A. P. Shimamura (Eds.), Metacognition: Knowing about knowing (pp. 185–205). MIT Press.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. Harper & Row.
Dunbar, R. I. M. (1998). The social brain hypothesis. Evolutionary Anthropology, 6(5), 178–190.
Ellis, K., & Kent, M. (2011). Disability and new media. Routledge.
Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford University Press.
Dunbar, R. I. M. (1998). The social brain hypothesis. Evolutionary Anthropology, 6(5), 178–190.
Ellis, K., & Kent, M. (2011). Disability and new media. Routledge.
Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford University Press.
Hochschild, A. R. (1983). The managed heart: Commercialization of human feeling. University of California Press.
Hochschild, A. R. (1983). The managed heart: Commercialization of human feeling.
Risko, E. F., & Gilbert, S. J. (2016). Cognitive offloading. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 20(9), 676–688.
Risko, E. F., & Gilbert, S. J. (2016). Cognitive offloading. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 20(9), 676–688.
Norman, D. A. (2007). The design of future things. Basic Books.
Raichle, M. E., et al. (2001). A default mode of brain function. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 98(2), 676-682.
Seligman, M. E. P. (1972). Learned helplessness. Annual Review of Medicine, 23(1), 407-412.
Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257-285.
Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior.
Article in New Yorker on AI and Culture: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/09/01/ai-is-coming-for-culture
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Raichle, M. E., et al. (2001). A default mode of brain function. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 98(2), 676-682.
Seligman, M. E. P. (1972). Learned helplessness. Annual Review of Medicine, 23(1), 407-412.
Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257-285.
Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior.
Article in New Yorker on AI and Culture: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/09/01/ai-is-coming-for-culture
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