Today, it is hard to find a corner in our lives that is not affected by technology. We are surrounded by it at home, commuting, at work, and in our leisure time. Given its dominant position, it should come as no surprise that technology has a strong impact on our well-being. In recent years, there have been some major studies into different aspects of technology and its influence on our well-being. However, until now, no book has attempted a wide-ranging appraisal of how the technology that is such a part of our everyday lives impacts our well-being. This is precisely the aim of this book.

The term “technology” has its origins in the Greek concept technologia, which includes the ideas techne – “craft” – and logia – “saying.” Many people have attempted to give this concept a definition. For example, Stein (1966) defined it as the sum of the ways in which a social group provides itself with the material objects of its civilization. Rousseau (1978) suggested that technology is the process used to transform raw materials into end products. Kipnis (1991) defined it as the use of systematic procedures to produce intended effects. However, a definitive meaning of the term “technology” is elusive: the term may be used to refer to material objects of use to humanity, such as hardware, machines, or utensils, but it can also encompass broader components, including methods of organization or techniques. The term can either be applied generically or to specific areas.