Surveillance Changes the Way We Behave – and the Way Our Brains Process Information
From self-service checkouts to public streets to stadiums – surveillance technology is everywhere. This pervasive monitoring is often justified in the name of safety and security.
But our recent study published in Neuroscience of Consciousness, reveals a disturbing side effect. Surveillance isn’t just changing our behaviour – it’s altering how our brains process information, operating largely outside our awareness.
Subtly Amplifying an Ancient Survival Mechanism
Humans have evolved the crucial ability to detect another person’s gaze to navigate social situations. This allows us to discern friend from foe, interpret emotions and understand intentions. Surveillance may be subtly amplifying this ancient survival mechanism, placing our brains on high alert for social cues.
A total of 54 people participated in our study – all of whom were undergraduate students. They performed a visual task while being monitored by CCTV cameras. A control group performed the same task without surveillance.
A Targeted Enhancement of Our Social Radar
While participants in both groups detected direct-gazing faces more quickly overall, participants who knew they were being watched became hyper-aware of these faces almost a second faster than the control group.
This perceptual enhancement occurred without participants even realising. Crucially, the faster response to visual stimuli was not observed when participants viewed neutral images like geometric configurations.
Profound Consequences
This seemingly subtle shift in perception may have profound consequences. A hyper-awareness of gaze is a hallmark of several mental health conditions, including social anxiety disorder and psychosis.
Individuals experiencing these conditions often feel intensely scrutinised, leading to heightened anxiety and paranoia. Our findings suggest that pervasive monitoring could exacerbate these tendencies. It could add an unseen layer of stress to daily life and potentially contribute to broader mental health challenges.
Striking a Balance
Our findings are especially timely given recent pronouncements by tech industry leaders for more surveillance. For example, Larry Ellison, the world’s fifth richest man and CEO of computer technology company Oracle, has pitched his vision for an always-on, AI-powered surveillance state.
This vision raises serious questions about the balance between security and personal freedom. Research has established that people tend to behave differently when they believe they are being watched. For example, they become more generous and less likely to engage in antisocial behaviour.
Conclusion
The findings of our new study highlight the potential unintended cost of constant monitoring: a subtle but pervasive shift in how our brains perceive and interact with the world. As surveillance becomes increasingly integrated into the fabric of our lives, we must pay heed not only to its intended effects, but also its subtle, unconscious impact on our minds and wellbeing.
FAQs
Q: What is the purpose of surveillance technology?
A: Surveillance technology is often justified in the name of safety and security.
Q: How does surveillance affect our brains?
A: Our study reveals that surveillance alters how our brains process information, operating largely outside our awareness. It subtly amplifies our ancient survival mechanism, placing our brains on high alert for social cues.
Q: What are the potential consequences of pervasive monitoring?
A: Our findings suggest that pervasive monitoring could exacerbate mental health conditions such as social anxiety disorder and psychosis, adding an unseen layer of stress to daily life and potentially contributing to broader mental health challenges.
Q: What is the balance between security and personal freedom?
A: Our study highlights the need for a balance between security and personal freedom. While surveillance can have positive effects, such as encouraging good behaviour, it also raises concerns about the impact on our minds and wellbeing.
