Thumbs Up for the Thumbs!
BY CANSU ORANÇ (PSYC/IV)
oranc@ug.bilkent.edu.tr
Two days ago, I hurt my thumb quite badly while squeezing lemons. I'm not going to talk about how is it possible to hurt a thumb squeezing lemons (weird, huh?) but the thumbs instead. Here's what I struggled with for the last two days: I can't write properly, it hurts when cutting meat in dinner or tying shoe laces, I hold the toothbrush in a really weird way, I can't flick a lighter, and I can't text! I have a phone with a QWERTY keyboard, and for two days, it has been very hard for me to use the right side of the keyboard. Among all others, this last one is the one that annoys me the most. While I'm grappling with such daily things, I remembered of something I heard few years ago. Let me introduce you the "thumb generation."
You can also call them, or yourself if you're born after 1985 and/or using a cell phone, the "text generation" or the "gameboy generation." I like the expression of "thumb generation" though, it definitely summarizes the whole picture. Think about what you're using while texting on your cell phone, playing playstation with your friends, or zapping through the TV channels with your remote control. Yes, your thumb! The primate thumb (humans are primates) was always very precious in its evolutionary progression. With its contribution to the fine motor skills and to the act of gripping, our prehensile thumb was always a focus of interest. It's known as being our only opposable digit, meaning that it's the only one which goes in a different direction and has the ability of moving around to touch the other fingers. Its this speciality that enables us to grasp things.
With the improvement of handheld devices, the so-called "thumb generation" is using its thumb for something else than gripping, to use technological devices like gaming consoles and cell phones. I found several different studies stating that this change of behavior led to physical alterations in our generation. Our thumbs are getting more muscled and skillful, thus they're on their way of becoming a dominant digit over time. Most studies underline the point that the effective usage of thumbs happen on a automatic and unconscious level for many people. Imagine a teenager texting her friends without looking at her phone while watching TV or having breakfast, this is what they mean "automatic." As an interesting fact, one of the studies reports that the "thumb generation" use their thumbs also for tasks that are usually done by other fingers, such as ringing doorbells.
During the last two days with my wounded thumb, I sadly realized that I'm a member of the "thumb generation" to a certain extent as well. However, I foresee another generation upcoming: the forefinger generation! Think about the e-book readers, tablet computers, laptops with touchpads, portable MP3 players. and cell phones with touchscreens. Our forefingers are waiting for taking over the domination from the thumbs.
PS: This is my last column for the year. Thank you all for your time and comments. Good luck with your finals, and have a great summer.