How much time do you spend on your smartphone each day? If you’re like most Americans, you’re probably logging five hours a day on mobile devices.
And if you’re like most Americans, you rely on digital connectivity to do just about everything (except if you’re like one of our grandmothers, who is 89 and gets along just fine without the internet, thank you very much).
At the Behavioral Scientist, we’ve been thinking a lot about how constant connectivity is impacting our brains and behaviors. What’s the tradeoff between what technology gives us, and what it takes away? Should we add “use phone less” to our 2018 New Year’s resolution list? How worried should we be about tech companies hijacking our minds? Or is tech just the latest scapegoat?
In January 2018, we’re preparing two weeks of editorial content that will tackle the science, business, and design that underpins our (arguably) excessive use of technology. We plan to explore the impact of tech use on our daily behavior and relationships, how we got hooked in the first place, whether it’s possible to unplug ourselves, and if we’re blowing this “tech addiction” thing out of proportion.
We’re looking for commentary-style pieces from a range of perspectives, including behavioral science researchers, practitioners working in the tech industry, and journalists who have reported on these subjects. Beyond traditional commentary, we’re also interested in Q&As, book excerpts, comics, photo essays, and radio stories. We want to hear the ideas that you’re most excited about.
If you’d like to pitch us, please first read our general submission guidelines, and decide which content type (list below) aligns best with your idea. Then, shoot us an email at editor@behavioralscientist.org that explains the central argument or angle of the story, what form you think it should take, and how it fits into this editorial package. Pitches should be no more than 500 words.
Please send us your pitch by November 24. We’ll review and respond to pitches on a rolling basis.
Expert Commentary: Original articles by people working in behavioral science and tech that can take on the following forms: opinion, research explanation/translation, or essay. (800–1200 words)
Reports: Original articles by journalists covering the intersection of tech and behavioral science. (800–2000 words)
Excerpts/Adaptations: Did you recently publish a book on this subject? Let us know if you think an excerpt or adaptation from the book fits the bill. (800–2000 words)
Conversations: Interviews with leading behavioral scientists and practitioners in behavioral science and tech. (800–1200 words)
Debates: Two behavioral scientists share their divergent perspectives on a particular issue in behavioral science and tech. (800–1200 words)
Rediscoveries: These pieces will act as a portal into the history of behavioral science and technology. Here, you can review important research, essays, media, and debates from the past. (500–1000 words)
Ask a Behavioral Scientist: Got a question about tech usage and its effects on the brain and our behaviors? This is your chance to ask expert academics and practitioners a question. We curate the questions and then identify the appropriate expert to answer it. (250–500 words)
