The Negative Impact of Technology on Interpersonal Relationships

Through the power of today's advanced technology, the use of digital communication has changed the way society communicates with each other. Although digital communication is widely used all around the world it brings some positive and negative implications to physical communication. On average more than 2 million kiwis use facebook every day. Seventy-nine percent of those people use Facebook to stay connected to friends and family (Firstdigital 2015) Digital communication allows people and business to stay connected to the internet, but the use of too much digital communication can have harsh consequences to a person's relationship

15). This research speaks volumes to the overall effect that the spread of technology has on our addiction to social media. It shows that we now value our time and interactions that happen over the Internet more than we value the true face-to-face interactions that real relationships actually depend on. One study performed on a university campus in Turkey used a questionnaire to evaluate different factors that could have significantly positive or negative effects on a relationship. This study performed by Egeci and Gencoz found that “…those with lower communications problems…were more likely to experience relationship satisfaction” (388). The type of communication that is proven to help grow relationships occurs most effectively face-to-face, where people can read each other’s emotions in their facial expressions and non-verbal

Electronic communication plays vast roles in the way individuals communicate in today’s society, this has created a significant change to the quality of interpersonal

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.

Although many argue that social media is an easier way to interact with others and that it has the ability to improve relationships by keeping those that are far apart together through technology, social media can also cause people to further distance themselves and it can also have a negative impact on relationships. There has been many studies that proves that technology harms our relationships and how one interacts with other in social situations. Many people use technology as a way to escape the real world. Even though social media can be used in a positive way, it can also be used negatively. Before technology was as developed as it is in today’s society, people had different realities; separation between work life and personal life.

Remember the days when most conversations were spent face-to-face, and not through texting or on a social media platform? Our society has changed the way we converse with one another in every way possible. Every thought, opinion, and idea we have we feel the need to broadcast it to the world, either by posting it on Facebook or tweeting it for hundreds of people to read. Is this new way of communication good or bad for our relationships? M.I.T professor, Sherry Turkle, addresses this question in her article, "Stop Googling. Let's Talk." She discusses the positive and negative attributes of the way we're using technology, and how it has overcome most of our relationships. We have abused our privileges of advanced technology by using it to replace our emotional needs we desire as humans.

There is no doubt that technology has affected the path of communication, interaction and human relationships. A large number of communication devices like phone have been invented in order to help communication between people. Thus, by giving easier chance to be connected, this development has been encouraging society’s sense of togetherness. Advances in technology have brought people closer with the use of different communication gadgets or websites. On the other hand, it has reduced the real-world or physical interaction. Technology has both pros and cons. But, sometimes the more positive roles overshadow the negative points. Ultimately, technology has improved the communication and relationships between people.

The epitome of a Good Life is the strong relationships humans are able to construct over time, but this can be affected by social media. Even though it connects individuals around the globe, social media can have a devastating effect on the establishment of communication in solid relationships. In Robert Waldinger’s “What makes a Good Life,” TED talk, he believes strong relationships are the framework of achieving a good life. Dr. Waldinger debates that the development of inter-social relationships could highly influence our life in a healthy manner, more than wealth and career success could. The need for relationships is seen through: (a) the Harvard Study, and (b) a healthy lifestyle. Clive Thompson’s article, “A Brave New World: I’m so Totally Digitally Close to You,” discusses how social media has revolutionized the way our community interacts. Instead of having one-to-one interaction with someone in person, now with just a “tweet” or “DM” a person easily contacts another person. He argues that the advancements of technology have led to our society developing an endless addiction to

In recent years, technology and social media has caused controversy over our face to face communication and even our thoughts. People generally think that technology is all beneficial, but others think that it has some negatives. One person who thinks that technology is beneficial is freelance journalist Clive Thompson. In his 2013 article “Teenagers and Social Networking—It Might Actually Be Good for Them,” Thompson reminds the reader that technology doesn’t decrease face to face communication. He notes that humans should have self-control over technology.

Interacting with other people can difficult and at times even unpleasant, but at the end of the day it is a task everyone has to overcome, or not. In Alone Together Turtkle writes of how we have come to readily accept a more technological based world saying, “ Technology is seductive when what it offers meets our human vulnerabilities” (263 Turkle). Today technology allows its users to communicate with others without ever having to see their face via text or email, meeting the vulnerability of being awkward and boring during a conversation in real life. Yet, avoiding actual interaction with people diminishes a persons social intelligence, making a conversing with others all the more difficult as they can no longer rely on the controlled atmosphere of messaging system and have to deal with unexpected questions and topics. Moreover, in the same article Turtle discuses the younger generation aversion to human interaction, she write, “ Teenagers avoid making telephone calls, fearful that they ‘reveal too much’. They would rather text than talk”( Turtle 272). Technology provides a controlled environment in which one decides to what degree he or she would like to interact with other, but this is not how the real world works. One can text answers for a job interview or email the news of a sick relative, somethings have to be done in person. Accordingly, in Tough’s article social intelligence is defined as, “ the ability to recognize interpersonal dynamics and adapt quickly to different social situations”( Tough 2). Online users do not exhibit social intelligence, the online domain is posses no new social situations to adapt to, is something makes one uncomfortable or annoyed they can simply “x” out of a window or go to another website. Increased reliance on technology will hinder the development of character, especially social

But this has ceased to exist after the introduction of Smartphone 's and the internet. People prefer to chat in the many social media offered on the internet and accessed by their Smartphone 's, play games, listen to music and even blog than strike a conversation with a person sited next (Tuckle, 2011, 23). As much as people are communicating more, a threat of communication becoming more of quantity than quality is emerging. As much as the use of Smartphone 's and internet has expanded people socially and geographically, it drives people from authentic relations. Too much use of Smartphone 's and web results in declining people social circle. It is a fact that the more time people spend on their Smartphone 's and the internet the less time they has with their families, friends and other people in the society.

Most people in the world today are distracted by cell phones, tablets, and computers. Without any of those items there wouldn't be much connection going on. Technology hinders personal communication, which negatively impacts our age- group. Data shows that those who use the internet frequently spend over 100 minutes less time with friends and family than non-internet users, according to Norman H. Nie and D, Sunshine Hillygus in their paper “ The Impact of Internet use on Sociability.” The internet actually distracts from the communication skills are gradually lessened. Technology negatively affects us by perpetuating the mindset of immediate satisfaction. We as people will not be positively impacted by communicating through a computer screen, if we already do not have the self-confidence to socially interact in reality. I believe the advancement of technology has negatively impacted our social interactions because it detaches us from what is happening around us. The world must learn to embrace technology without allowing it to negatively impact the creation of functional adults in

How easy is it to start a conversation with someone we see online? Do we often think about the what we post online or the debates and discussions we go into? Do we our comments and likes affects people mentally and psychology? In today's generation, it is quite easy to have a more followers than friends. More than 80% of U.S household reported computer ownership and 74.4% of Americans households use the internet (U.S Census Bureau). This number is unrealistically high and should have us wondering the different services they are using it for plus what harm and risks those services bring. Everything people do now has internet use and the growth is rapid. The thousands of friends we have online would not make up for the physical interaction

In this scholarly article, Wailin Wong claims that using the internet lessen the face to face interaction between people communicating. She explains that communicating through social media builds relationship and self- esteem. This article states the nature of social communication online or its effects on social connection and personal well-being.

Technology has revolutionized communication and the world like nothing before. The Internet has given the world a freedom never explored in the past. The Internet has broken communication barriers to an extreme level. Now day’s two people from two different countries can talk or chat without interactions. Internet has given people the ability to connect forever through social networking. Some of the biggest world social networking services are Facebook and Twitter. Through technology communication is made much easier, but the communication with the people that are right next to us might be getting weak. Technology has its positive and negative impacts on society. It could keep us informed, but it could also affect anyone’s communication life. Even though it’s an easy communication barrier it’s being over used by society every day. The Internet has charge everyone and everything over the years, it has giving us the ability to be informed on a much deeper level. Families are losing their communication, but not just because of technology. Not everything is positive when it’s about technology. It could help us connect no matter the distance, but we could lose communication and relationships. The world has not yet notice that losing important face to face communication because of technology it’s important.