The effects of electronic products and social media on social isolation

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Incredible advancements in personal electronics and social media over recent decades have led to people today being more connected to one another than ever before, with a wide array of communication mediums available. However, people are more lonely and distant (more socially isolated) in their “unplugged lives”, according to Massachusetts Institute of Technology social psychologist Sherry Turkle, PhD. Webster’s dictionary defines isolation as “the state of being in a place or situation that is separate from others; the condition of being isolated”. Social isolation is isolation from society; essentially, the separation of a person or group from society both emotionally and physically speaking.
The popularity of electronic products and social media have contributed to social isolation, especially among children and teenagers. Firstly, the ease of communicating via these products/services has led to many replacing face-to-face interactions with virtual interactions, which are less intimate and are more limited in terms of the experiences that can be shared among those interacting. Secondly, face-to-face interactions have become weaker due to people’s ability to be “elsewhere” (i.e. on Facebook) at any point in time, which has led to many immersing themselves in their products even when in a social context. Both of these factors result in weaker social ties and consequently increasing social isolation and have been especially observed among children and teenagers who have succumb more to these technologies and social media than adults.
Children and teenagers are communicating more and more via electronic products and social media as opposed to meeting face-to-face. Social media does allow people to augment their personal relation...

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...that many have replaced some of the time that would otherwise be spent in face-to-face conversations with virtual conversations. These conversations online are much less personal than face-to face interactions contribution to weaker social ties. In addition, the ease of social networking and the ability to be “elsewhere” at any point in time has weakened personal interactions as many become distracted with such conveniences even while in face-to face in interactions with others. Overall, the result has been less face-to face interactions and weaker interactions all contributing to weaker social ties and ultimately one cause of the increasing social isolation observed especially among children and teenagers.

Works Cited

Price, Michael. "Alone in the Crowd." Monitor on Psychology 42.6 June 2011: 26. apa.org. American Psychological Association, June 2011. Web. 6 Nov

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