Effects of Technology on Social Relationships

1781 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The effect of technology on relationships

As much as I regret to admit it, I’m attached to my phone. I’m constantly reaching into my pocket to check the time, make sure I haven’t gotten a new update, or to send a message. I do this even when I’m not talking to anyone! It’s become an addiction, having to make sure I’m not missing anything, and I'm not the only one who has this problem. Seventy-five percent of the world population has a cell phone, and that number will only increase. With the creation of new technology portions of life have become easier. Technology has changed the way we go through life. It’s made talking to people easier, as well as keeping up with the lives of others. However, the effects have affected the aspects of our lives that don’t include technology.

There are some people that feel technology use has helped to improve our society, and in many ways it has. The improvement of the technology over the last few years is astonishing. There are so many things the small device in your pocket can do for you. Do you want to connect to friends and family over social media, video chat, search where the nearest Italian Restaurant is? There are apps for all of those things and more.

Focusing on the world around you is hard to do when your face is in a screen. The world just doesn’t seem as exciting as what’s going on in your phone, because there’s always a new update or notification. Nicholas Carr, author of What the Internet is doing to Our Brains, believes, “The Net’s influence doesn’t end at the edges of a computer screen, either. As people’s minds become attuned to the crazy quilt of Internet media, traditional media have to adapt to the audience’s new expectations. Television programs add text crawls and pop-up ads, and magazines and newspapers shorten ...

... middle of paper ...

... 2014.

Carr, Nicholas. “What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains.” Atlantic. Atlantic Online. July 1, 2008. Web. February 23, 2014.

Oppenheimer, Mark. “Technology is Not Driving Us Apart After All.” The New York Times. Jan. 17, 2014 Web. 27 Feb. 2014.

Reid, Donna J., and Fraser J.M. Reid. "Text Or Talk? Social Anxiety, Loneliness, And Divergent Preferences For Cell Phone Use." Cyberpsychology & Behavior 10.3 (2007): 424-435. Business Source Complete. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.

Richtel, Matt. “Attached to Technology and Paying the Mental Price.” The New York Times. 6 June, 2010. Web. 26 Feburary, 2014.

Skaržauskiené, Aelita; Tamosiûnaitè, Ruta; Žaléniené, Inga. "Defining Social Technologies: Evaluation Of Social Collaboration Tools And Technologies." Electronic Journal Of Information Systems Evaluation 16.3 (2013): 232-241. Business Source Complete. Web. 2 Mar. 2014.

Show More
Related

  • Nicholas Carr's In the Shallows

    1093 Words  | 3 Pages

    Carr, Nicholas G. The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. Print.

    Read More

  • Is Google Making Us Stupid?, by Nicholas Carr

    1378 Words  | 3 Pages

    The internet is our conduit for accessing a wide variety of information. In his article, “Is Google Making Us Stupid,” Nicholas Carr discusses how the use of the internet affects our thought process in being unable to focus on books or longer pieces of writing. The author feels that “someone, or something, has been tinkering with [his] brain” over the past few years (Carr 731). While he was easily able to delve into books and longer articles, Carr noticed a change in his research techniques after starting to use the internet. He found that his “concentration often [started] to drift after two or three pages” and it was a struggle to go back to the text (Carr 732). His assertion is that the neural circuits in his brain have changed as a result of surfing endlessly on the internet doing research. He supports this statement by explaining how his fellow writers have had similar experiences in being unable to maintain their concentrations. In analyzing Carr’s argument, I disagree that the internet is slowly degrading our capacity for deep reading and thinking, thereby making us dumber. The Web and Google, indeed, are making us smarter by allowing us access to information through a rapid exchange of ideas and promoting the creativity and individualization of learning.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On The Shallows

    551 Words  | 2 Pages

    I’m scrolling through the articles on Snapchat and find my way across one with an intriguing title, I instantly tap on it. I begin to scroll further down only to find myself going through extensive paragraphs of information and suddenly this article that seemed so interesting became a bore. In Nicholas G. Carr’s novel, The Shallows, he argues the internet is creating more problems to us humans than actual benefits. Our social skills are starting to lack and our interaction with technology is beginning to heighten. Humans contemplative skills are slowly fading away due to our reliance on the internet to solve our problems. Technology is inevitable by humans, seeing that individuals use it in their everyday lives. Unfortunately, this is a problem considering the use of high-tech gadgets decrease in one’s capacity for concentration, contemplation, and personal memory.

    Read More

  • Response To Blare's No Need To Call By Sherry Turkle

    910 Words  | 2 Pages

    Our modern day society depends on technology for everything, can anyone imagine a life without their phone or computer? Probably not, social media and other popular applications have become so ingrained into our daily lives. Not only can we connect with people anytime throughout the day but we also have so many useful applications that help us on a daily basis. Thinking back to when I was eight years old, I couldn 't wait for sixth grade because my parents had promised to get me a cell phone, I remember counting down the days till the summer of fifth grade was over because I already knew which cell phone I wanted. Once I got it I couldn’t stop showing my mom all of the cool things it could do. Which looking back at it today, it really couldn

    Read More

  • Analysis Of 'How Facts Backfire And Is Google Making USupid'

    856 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the articles, “How Facts Backfire” and “Is Google Making Us Stupid”, Keohane and Carr explain the cognitive blocks we are faced with in society. Keohane explains how we can be misinformed because of our beliefs. These beliefs can cloud our judgement of what is true and what isn’t true. Carr focuses on how the internet has changed the way we think. Carr includes how the internet can distract us, making tasks harder to complete. Both Keohane and Carr show us the negatives side effects of cognition.

    Read More

  • Nicholas Carr

    1549 Words  | 4 Pages

    Atlantic journalist Nicholas Carr confesses that he feels something has been “tinkering with his brain.” The internet, he fears, may be messing with our minds. We have lost the ability to focus on a simple task, and memory retention is steadily declining. He is worried about the effect the internet has on the human brain, and where it may take us in the future. In response to this article, Jamais Cascio, also a journalist for the Atlantic, provides his stance on the issue. He argues that this different way of thinking is an adaptation derived from our environment. Ultimately, he thinks that this staccato way of thinking is simply a natural evolution, one that will help to advance the human race.

    Read More

  • Influence Of Computer Technology

    1222 Words  | 3 Pages

    These two articles are similar in the sense that they agree that the internet and computational objects are reshaping our brain’s structure by changing our neural circuit. By using examples from their personal experiences to identify a trend in technology use, the authors illustrate that the more we bury ourselves in technology the more we are unable to understand material which leads to loss of concentration and the ability to think for ourselves. As an author, Carr finds the internet a beneficial tool, but it’s having a bad effect on his concentration span. Carr points this out by stating “Immersing myself in a book or lengthy article used to be easy, now I get fidgety, lose the thread and begin looking for something else to do” (39). He is no

    Read More

  • What Is Quality Time Redefined By Alex Williams Summary

    918 Words  | 2 Pages

    Technology is one of the most important things in everyone’s life. Technology improves every day. in regards to today’s youth, they were born with all the new technological inventions as opposed to our parents. In “Quality Time, Redefined” by Alex Williams, published in the New York Times, the author talks about the positive and negative effects on technology. I enjoyed this reading because it related my personal day to day life. Even though some Americans acknowledge that technology is a part of their everyday life, they do not see the negative outcome of technology, they are blinded only by the positive aspects.

    Read More

  • Are Cell Phones a Harmful Distraction to Society

    1446 Words  | 3 Pages

    How Mobile Tech can Influence our Brain.” CNN. 23 Sept, 2012. Web. The Web.

    Read More

  • Effects of Technology on Today's Society

    1143 Words  | 3 Pages

    The opinions of many people vary on technology and the effects it has on today’s society. Some say that it’s more beneficial than anything, others completely disagree, and some have mixed emotions. Would you rather read out of a book, or play online learning games with a possible risk of eye problems? It’s about taking matters into your own hands. 71% of people believe technology has improved their lives. 76% of people completely disagree by saying that technology creates a lazy society and that is distracting and corrupting. Daily life with technology is also another huge issue in society. According to a survey taken in January 2013, people feel their work productivity has dropped 8% in the last year. They also felt that their relationships with their family at home dropped 4% in the past year. The opinions vary, but they are needed to show how technology is affecting different people.

    Read More

  • The Negative Impact of Technology on Interpersonal Relationships

    1014 Words  | 3 Pages

    Over the last century, information technology, such as the Internet, has brought our society forward and helps us get through life more efficiently and conveniently. In addition, it helps making global communication easier and faster as compared to hand-written mails that may take days if not weeks to reach its intended recipient. However, with such luxury and convenience, there is a debate whether the way we currently interact with fellow human beings with the help of technology is good or bad to our personal relationships. The Internet has increased the amount of communication globally, yet ironically the very technology that helps us increase our communication hinders our ability to socialize effectively in real life and create a healthy interpersonal relationship.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Talking To Friends And Texting

    725 Words  | 2 Pages

    Like the rest of the world, I cannot go a day without my phone. Try leaving your phone at home for a day and let me know how you feel. With the growing technology my phone is like my arms and legs. It is my must- have- can’t live without phone. It is my connection to the outside world. It is my connection to other people’s lives and theirs to connect with mine. The “cell phone” started out as a form of communication via calling and then it exploded with text messaging. Now it seems that most people would prefer texting then calling someone.

    Read More

  • The Impact of Cell Phone Usage on Our Social Life

    1604 Words  | 4 Pages

    Cell phones have changed from an item of luxury to an everyday necessity for some people. Twenty five years ago, a phone was just a way to contact someone. Mobile phones have become one of the most common tools of communications for both young and old. Cellular devices have redefined relationships and social conduct, and transformed the daily lives of many individuals. Cell phones no longer function just as a communication device. Today it has many other uses. Cell phones are used for games, calculators, texting, calendars, social sites, and pictures. In addition, there are many apps that one can download on a phone. Mobile phones help us keep track of our lives.

    Read More

  • Technology Causes Social Isolation

    1017 Words  | 3 Pages

    How much can technology impact your social life? Who would of thought that technology would affect life in such a major way? Little did people know that technology can impact the way humans interact with each other. While listening to music and playing games on their mobile devices, how many people actually get to know one another while standing right next to each other? A small ride on a metro or bus ride will show you just how little interaction goes on in a humans life do to the amount of use on their mobile devices. The role technology plays in socializing has a great impact on people’s interaction. People can be standing right next to each other with out saying one word to one another. While waiting for the next class to start or even during the class, people tune out the rest of the world and this can lead up to social isolation. Technology has had a bad impact on the way humans socialize because it causes people to be less interactive. Social isolation is a health condition that can become very severe and lead up to depression, anxiety, despair and many other things. Social isolation can be avoided if technology is limited to use at only appropriate times as when bored, alone or incase of an emergency you would use cell phones.

    Read More

  • Technology and Human Relations:

    1307 Words  | 3 Pages

    Technology has brought us closer and squeezed the distances, but in reality, it has taken us away from each other. The rapid growth of technology has brought about significant changes in human lives, especially in their relationships. The latest technologies have turned this world into a “global village” but the way humans interact with each other, the types of relationships and their importance has changed a lot. The advancement in technology has brought us closer, but has also taken us apart. In the past, the means of communication were limited.

    Read More

More about Effects of Technology on Social Relationships

Open Document