IB Digital Society 4.4B the Human Body and Mental Health Key Definitions

The idea that human attention is a scarce, valuable resource that platforms compete to capture and sell to advertisers, shaping media to be as engaging and hard to put down as possible.

A system that reads signals from the brain and translates them into commands for a computer or device, letting a person act by intention alone. It is used to restore lost function, such as movement or communication, and raises questions about enhancement and control.

The use of digital tools to support mental wellbeing, including teletherapy, mood-tracking and meditation apps, peer-support communities, and AI chatbots. It can widen access and offer anonymity, but raises questions about safety, privacy, and the limits of automated help.

An RFID device placed under the skin of an individual to ease the usage of a relevant digital technology.

The practice of tracking aspects of daily life as data, such as steps, sleep, heart rate, mood, and diet, usually through wearables and apps. It can support healthier habits but can also turn the body and self into a scoreboard to optimise.

A device worn on or in the body that continuously measures health data such as heart rate, activity, or blood glucose. It can give the wearer real-time feedback and send readings to a care team for remote monitoring.