We’ve all seen it on more than one occasion. Somewhere amongst the classrooms and corridors of Iowa State, students are simultaneously listening to iPods, Facebook-stalking on laptops, texting away on their cellphones and playing mindless games on their tablets.

Never mind the cumulative cost of these contraptions is somewhere in the thousands, but has this new electronic addiction caused a new level of mind-melting behavior, along with basic politeness and respect in the process?

It has long been known that too much television and video game stimulation is harmful to the brain. However, very few individuals seem to be making noise on the subject in regards to portable electronics.

In a report from the Henry J. Kaiser Foundation, 18-year-olds consume more than 10 hours worth of media in a day. Much of this consumption comes from media multitasking, the use of multiple media tools at one time. The ever-increasing influx of portable devices has caused multitasking to skyrocket. The consumption increase has risen by approximately two daily hours over the past five years.

Many students don’t think twice about using cellphones in class, and lecture halls across campus are dotted with the subtle glow of laptops. Some professors authorize the use of computers in the classroom, so students can download notes or slides, but a quick glance at the screens of classmates reveals that a majority are commenting on newly minted relationship statuses or shopping. Not only is it a blatant distraction for them, but causes curiosity among their neighbors.

According to the Kaiser Foundation Report, 47 percent of late high school and early college aged students who are considered “heavy users,” thus receiving more than 16 hours of media a day, admitted to getting grades below the standard C average. However, the medium that has long been the accused culprit, television, actually saw a decline in usage. Through the advancements of Internet and multi-platform devices, consumers are bombarded with several messages at one time and are less reliant on traditional television.

A survey done by Alloy Media and Marketing discovered that college students of age 18 to 24 spend $6.5 billion annually on technology. This total was third behind food and auto purchases. The survey also showed that 61 percent of students now prefer to watch television shows and movies on their computer, and that students spend roughly 9.5 hours per day using some combination of technological devices. With the level of activity in an average college student’s life, a portion of these hours are inevitably taking place during time that would be better spent on class or homework.

Younger generations are the driving force in the growing field, but how young is too young? According to Nielsen study, more than half of kids aged 12 to 14 own a cellphone. According to studies primarily done in the United Kingdom, on average, kids are receiving their first cellphone at age 8.

This past summer, during a segment of the “Murph and Andy Show” on 1460 KXNO radio station in Des Moines, host Andy Fales shared a story about elementary-aged children playing “Angry Birds” on their father’s iPhone while at a funeral.

This is perhpas the most alarming impact of the electronic addiction. We are laying waste to these sensational devices the same way we did to television and the Internet. In spite of the brilliance it took to create them and the knowledge that can be attained from them, we turn them into harbors for trash. People believe that Twitter is a viable research reference, Facebook is the most visited website in the world, and of the more than 15,000 iPhone apps, “Plants vs. Zombies” is seemingly the most buzz worthy.

Pop out the headphones. Unplug the cord. Put the smartphone away. There is nothing wrong with appreciating technological achievements, but take time to expand your mind and appreciate the world outside of the electronic addiction.