Where is your cell phone now? Chances are it's within arm's length of you. Have you sent one or more text messages today? The likely answer is also yes. If you're wondering, "How have cell phones changed us socially?" The answer is enough. Researchers have examined how different age groups use mobile phones and how mobile phones influence social interaction and communication skills.
Most people have become at least partially dependent on their cell phones for more than just convenience. Cell phones are now a primary way to communicate and keep social life intact.
Let's see how cell phones have affected our lives both positively and negatively.
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Why are young adults attached to their phones?
Recent researchhave found that younger cohorts use their phones differently than older adults.
Researchers conducted a study that observed the differences between the way people aged 18 to 24, 25 to 34, 35 to 49, and 50 to 68 use their phones.
They discovered that:
- Young adults text much more often than older groups
- Of the group over 50, 80% sent or received fewer than 10 text messages per day
- 90% of each age group calls less than 10 times a day
This is because young adults rely on text messaging as their main way of communicating with friends. Younger people write more often and in more situations, while adults first think about whether texting is the right form of communication to say what they want to say.
What is the effect of all this?
Expectations regarding relationships have changed. Since people are tethered to their phones and can text from virtually anywhere, people expect fast response times. This is especially true for people in romantic relationships.
Because so many people rely on text messages, some researchers believe that communication skills suffer. For example,MIT sociologist Sherry Turklewarns that "conversations are the most human and humanizing thing we do. It's where empathy is born, where intimacy is born... we've actually moved away from conversations in a way that my research has shown is hurting us."
Even if you don't use a cell phone to make a plan or talk to a friend, you probably involved a phone in your last in-person interaction. 89% of Americans picked up a phone during their last conversation with someone, and 82% said it detracted from the conversation they were actually having.
The truth is, cell phones are not to blame. There are both good and bad aspects of having a phone; however, the most important aspect is how we as humans choose to use them.
Advantages of mobile phones
There is no doubt that mobile phones have revolutionized the world and people's ability to communicate.
1. Constant connection:
With a mobile phone you are always connected to people. You can send a message at any time and easily contact people in different time zones.
2. Information and availability:
Mobile phones offer an unlimited source of education, information and accessibility in your hands. This is so true that you can even get your degree from itThe People's Universityby using your phone. Moreover, studying at UoPeople is 100% tuition-free!
3. Time and efficiency:
Mobile phones allow you to do a lot on the go, saving you time. With endless applications, the ability to communicate across platforms, send images, etc. you can get a lot done with just one powerful device.
4. Social network:
Social networking apps have changed the way people make friends, maintain friendships, and share memories.
Disadvantages of mobile phones
Everything that has a good side also has some bad sides. Here are some of the harmful effects that cell phones can cause:
1. Security:
We store so much of our information on our cell phones. From notes with passwords, credit card details, personal photos and more, people are always at risk of being hacked or having their phone stolen.
2. Addiction:
Remember the time when you knew phone numbers by heart? Maybe you're young enough to have never done this! We are so dependent on our phones for guidance and information that we limit the power of our personal memory.
3. Reduced Communication Skills:
While cell phones have also opened the door to the ability to communicate in different ways (texting, social media messaging, photos, etc.), they have also hurt live interactions as people are constantly on or checking their phones , which detracts from the present moment. They can also enable anti-social behavior because people are hidden in their phones.
4. Lack of nature:
The dependence on technology often comes with the sacrifice of being one with nature. For example, if you give a child a cell phone, he may spend more time on technology and less time playing outside.
5. Trust:
Many people are addicted to their mobile phones and cannot live without them.
6. Incorrect spelling and grammar:
As people abbreviate and use text on their phones, it has changed the way people write and communicate. The use of emojis has become a language in itself, and this sometimes comes at the expense of correct grammar use.
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Mobile phones change people, socially and more
1. Empathy:
More often than not, the ability to truly understand and empathize depends on body language, tone of voice, and eye contact. With cell phones we often lose these important aspects of communication so empathy suffers.
2. How we learn:
We can learn a lot digitally. There is no doubt that technology has changed the way we learn. Just look at online universities as a primary representation of this. That is possible at the Volksuniversiteitget your diplomawith nothing but an internet connection. Everything you need to knowto UoPeopleis just a click away!
3. Memory:
Cell phones can both help and damage our memory. For example, relying on GPS instead of your memory to navigate means you are less aware of your surroundings. But in some ways, phones are our memory partners. Because they can store so much information for us, it can be read from our brains and give us the space we need to remember the important things.
In short
Cell phones have reshaped communications in both good and bad ways. The ability to connect to anyone anywhere in the world has its benefits. But because a cell phone is a tool, it depends on how we as humans use them to determine whether they ultimately serve or hurt us.
