Digital Technology and Its Impact on Social Interactions
Topic essay: Digital technology reduces our ability to interact socially. Do you agree?
Although recent developments in digital technology have heightened the need for communication, this may result in reducing our ability to interact socially. One of the most important reasons explaining for this phenomenon is that digital technology adversely affects communication. First of all, digital technology affects the quantity of communicating face to face. This means modern technology decreased to spend time in interacting with real people. According to the study by the Stanford Institute for the Quantitative Study of Society (SIQSS) (cited in Dixon 2005), there is a third America population who use the Internet frequently, spend less time with their family. Additionally, researchers at SIQSS reported a connection between the usage of Internet and social isolation. In fact, this research also states that average access time which takes Internet users about three hours every day doubles the time of other things. For example, 8.7% playing games, 6.5% surfing and 4.3% shopping (Dixon 2005). Not only that, 54% students survey (cited in Zanetti 2006) said that instead of going out, they spent time on using Internet. The above evidence showed that there is lack of social relationships so that people can be isolated by surrounding environment. Also, even if digital technology gave human beings to have great opportunities keep in touch each other, it could limit social interactions. For instance, one of the most advantageous using emails is that users do not need to meet others (Zanetti 2006). However, this kind of technology can not assist people to interact socially. As a result, the more technological developments we get, the more face to face communications we lose. Secondly, digital technology affects the quality of communications. Sivyer (2005) asserts with advanced in technology such as Internet and email, people can connect to those who come from many different
Although recent developments in digital technology have heightened the need for communication, this may result in reducing our ability to interact socially. One of the most important reasons explaining for this phenomenon is that digital technology adversely affects communication. First of all, digital technology affects the quantity of communicating face to face. This means modern technology decreased to spend time in interacting with real people. According to the study by the Stanford Institute for the Quantitative Study of Society (SIQSS) (cited in Dixon 2005), there is a third America population who use the Internet frequently, spend less time with their family. Additionally, researchers at SIQSS reported a connection between the usage of Internet and social isolation. In fact, this research also states that average access time which takes Internet users about three hours every day doubles the time of other things. For example, 8.7% playing games, 6.5% surfing and 4.3% shopping (Dixon 2005). Not only that, 54% students survey (cited in Zanetti 2006) said that instead of going out, they spent time on using Internet. The above evidence showed that there is lack of social relationships so that people can be isolated by surrounding environment. Also, even if digital technology gave human beings to have great opportunities keep in touch each other, it could limit social interactions. For instance, one of the most advantageous using emails is that users do not need to meet others (Zanetti 2006). However, this kind of technology can not assist people to interact socially. As a result, the more technological developments we get, the more face to face communications we lose. Secondly, digital technology affects the quality of communications. Sivyer (2005) asserts with advanced in technology such as Internet and email, people can connect to those who come from many different