Interpersonal Communication and Technology Paper.

Interpersonal Communication and Technology Paper.

Avoiding social media and using a phone for a day is an uphill task. As I started early in the day, there was no worry or much effort towards not texting or to check the urge to look at the pop-up notifications. I was doing well and for once, attending to my essential activities promptly. I had minimal difficulty in the morning because I was psychologically prepared to take on the challenge. More than this, the environment helped me because, in the early hours, most people remain focused and less engrossed with their phones. Interpersonal Communication and Technology Paper. Being disconnected from my phone for an entire day caused me great discomfort and unease as I went through my daily activities.

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However, as the day progressed, I began to feel a little discomfort, especially when I saw others using their phones. I kept looking around because of the growing restlessness, but I had to remain composed for the better part of the day. At about midday, when people had the time to make calls, chat, and follow-on events through social media, I felt left out. The disconnect from social media began to feel like a punishment. In my experience, when people constantly use their phones, it degrades interpersonal communication between people. Interpersonal Communication and Technology Paper.

One of the non-verbal messages that my body was sending was reaching out for my phone frequently. At times, I just found myself grabbing the phone, glaring on the screen, and then I had to put it back. The urge to glance through the chats and respond was almost irresistible, but I tried even harder to contain myself and engage in other activities to keep me distracted. The discomfort was primarily because I felt that I was missing out on something important. Being restrained from social media made me feel like I was cut off from the outside world. That is why I could not wait for the day to end to catch up with the events of the day on social media.

As my anxiety grew by the minute, I tried to cope by keeping myself occupied with other activities. As such, I tried reading newspapers at home. I conscientiously picked out stories that would interest me easily. That was one effective coping method, but as soon as I was done the reading, my mind shifted back to the need to use my phone. Engaging in verbal communication was a good diversion and an effective way to pass the time. The most challenging part was watching every other person using their phone. As everyone was using their phones, it was much harder to converse for long periods. Therefore, the quality of the conversations was remarkably wanting. Most people would only have less than a minute to respond and soon resume what they were doing on their phones. Some people would converse while still going through their phones.Interpersonal Communication and Technology Paper. Consequently, the effort was rendered all the  more difficult.

Interpersonal communication has considerably evolved due to the emergence of different modes of interaction. The primary role of interpersonal communication is passing messages effectively. This has been enhanced by technology in the form of mobile phones and social media. On the positive side, technology has widened the scope for interpersonal communication as people can network across the world in real-time. Intercultural relationships have grown significantly with the aid of technological tools. However, the essence of interpersonal communication has faded because of the limitations of using technology predominantly for the purpose.

Technology enables the accomplishment of daily tasks. According to research statistics, 70% of smartphone users can perform at least one in a long list of activities by using mobile phones (Goodman-Deane et al.,2016). The activities may include scheduling and conducting meetings, attending to emergencies, gathering information to help make decisions, seeking a ride for transit purposes, and participating in a leisure event at a stated place. However, a deficiency exists in the social aspect of interpersonal communication. Essentially, technology provides better networking and communication channels as opposed to the analog systems that needed a physical presence. However, technology does not provide social enhancement, a key aspect of interpersonal communication.  Interpersonal Communication and Technology Paper.

The flipside of technology use in interpersonal communication stems from a non-existent human touch in the interaction. A typical characteristic of interpersonal communication is eye-contact and the emotional sound responses elicited from either verbal or non-verbal communication. Technology creates a virtual space for passing on messages without conveyance of emotions (Golden, Veiga&Dino, 2008). Even with the invention of emoticons, there is little authenticity in their use, unlike the physical responses. Because of the lack of non-verbal communication, users of this channel are disapproving as they engage with strangers on digital platforms.

Furthermore, technology has championed the creation of friendship networks that transcend regional boundaries. As such, digital forms of communication open up an individual to the larger world. People can meet and interact on levels that they could not have done without traveling. Unfortunately, substantial friendship networks do not amount to real friendships that could provide support in times of need. The percentage of friendships that move from online to reality is below 5%. Case in point, teenagers have attested to not valuing the long-distance connections because they are dormant friendships (Golden, Veiga &Dino, 2008). When compared to how people strike friendship in a natural conversation, technology has not contributed to the achievement of interpersonal communication goals.

Moreover, the outcome of interpersonal communication via social media has been seriously condemned by psychologists. Cases of teens plunging into depression because of addiction to social media are alarming. Unlike in real interpersonal communication, people fake traits and behaviors on social media and other online platforms. At the end of the day, when one party discovers that they are tricked, the situation always turns to suicide, depression, withdrawal, or other negative aftermaths. Interpersonal Communication and Technology Paper.Many cases have been reported whereby relationships formed through social media turn tragic. Either people are no longer available, or those available provide false information about themselves (Misra et al., 2016). As such, the emotional attachment that results from such interactions is misplaced, thus, leading to disappointment after a long period of delusional thinking. In this light, technology impacts the outcomes of interpersonal communication negatively.

Technology has a profound negative impact on interpersonal communication. It has replaced the elements of interpersonal communication that define its essence and value to a person’s social life. The creation of a virtual world by technology not only downplays the humane aspect but also sets abnormally high expectations as people interact. In this light, interpersonal communication driven by technology needs a cautious approach. Discovering the person behind the computer is almost impossible, and this poses a greater danger of cyber-bullying.

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References

Golden, T. D., Veiga, J. F., & Dino, R. N. (2008). The impact of professional isolation on teleworker job performance and turnover intentions: Does time spent teleworking, interacting face-to-face, or having access to communication-enhancing technology matter?. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(6), 1412. Interpersonal Communication and Technology Paper.

Goodman-Deane, J., Mieczakowski, A., Johnson, D., Goldhaber, T., & Clarkson, P. J. (2016). The impact of communication technologies on life and relationship satisfaction. Computers in Human Behavior, 57, 219–229.

Misra, S., Cheng, L., Genevie, J., & Yuan, M. (2016). The iPhone effect: the quality of in-person social interactions in the presence of mobile devices. Environment and Behavior, 48(2), 275–298. Interpersonal Communication and Technology Paper.