Summary: How Has Technology Affecting Adolescents

How has technology affected adolescents in the last 30 years?

Introduction

Technology is defined as the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. Ever since the invention of the wheel in 3500 B.C.E humans have evolved along with technology into the society we see today. Within the last three decades technology has had an astonishing impact on society and culture. Many people are now examining the affects that technology has had on adolescents culturally and socially. In this cultural and social lens there are a variety of perspectives such as the teen perspective, global perspective, and researcher perspective. Technology has positively and negatively affected adolescents culturally and socially in the last 30 years.

Teen

The previous quote depicts how a teenager feels about technology and its effects on her generation. In relation to this specific viewpoint technology is seen as a negative aspect of society. Included in the article other teens provide varying ideas on the subject at hand. For example, one teen by the username ElysM states,” Technology has its place in society, but the problem is that many people of all ages don't know how to use it properly. Kids who aren't good at socializing make the problem worse by spending time on the internet every day” (Mads942 2011) This viewpoint suggests that technology could ,and probably would, be beneficial to society if adolescents were educated on how to use it in an appropriate manner. Many of the commentators on the article stated that technology is everywhere and is hard to live without therefore it is a good thing (Mads942 2011). Based on the words of the teens above, technology that has developed in the last 30 years such as cell phones, MP3 players, gaming consoles, laptops, and the internet have both positive and negative effects on society. While the discussion will continue for many years there is a general consensus among teens that without technological advancement society would not be as developed as it is at

Two research studies have been conducted from 2003-2004 and their findings report that teen exposure to sexual content on television has a direct correlation to how the teen will act more sexually in a social setting (RAND Corporation 2004). These studies support the idea that technology has allowed for a more widespread distribution of the idea of sexual intercourse and the things that are associated with it such as kissing and other types of sexual intercourse. This idea may seem very negative but the studies also report that shows that talk about and portray the risks of sex can have a positive on teens by educating them. Other researchers such as Ellen Wartella and Nancy Jennings have branched off into the relationship between children and computers. In their article titled, Children and Computers: New Technology-Old Concerns the two researchers conclude, ”Because new media involves much greater potential for interactivity compared with earlier media, it also holds more promise for enriched learning experiences” (Wartella, Jennings 2000). The research done by Jennings and Wartella states that the development of technology for educational purposes is very beneficial to adolescents because it helps with development, this suggests