The Effects of Technology on Teenager's Communication

The Effects of Technology on Communication in Teenagers

Discussion of the use of mobile phone and its impact on teenagers’ ability to communicate is no longer a new topic and is widespread among communication and sociology scholars. There are ongoing debates arguing whether does technology make for better communication or the other way round. It is undeniable to say that technology is a massive aid to communication but it is also impossible to ignore the influence of mobile phone use on our society, especially among the youths. As technology is growing at an astounding speed, new devices are created to assist us to work at a faster and more efficient pace (Paskoff, 2011). However, in a world where communication through modern technology is prominent, it can be dangerous and might harm face-to-face communication if the use of technology has become an addiction.

Some says both interpersonal communication and online communication could complement each other in daily life, however some said the line between both is becoming blurred that it might possibly threatens socialisation.

It is to believe that with these modern technologies communication is made easier because individuals can communicate in a faster and more efficient way (Jones, 2012). Email, as one of the most common form of communication among workplaces, business or academic settings, enables instant communication and fast speed of message disseminating without having the need to gather everyone together. On top of that, technology has helped to make communication more accessible in terms of long-distance communication. Compare to the early days where the only form of long-distance communication is mailing, it can now be done through the use of computer, tablets and mo...

... middle of paper ...

...available senses and hence only provides information about ‘what’ the behaviour and not the underlying drive – the ‘why’. Looking at those social events from an etic perspective does not provide sufficient information.

Another fundamental potential weakness is that it is susceptible to observer bias. Observer might unconsciously distort how they view the events and see what is happening in the social context in a way that fit with their preconceptions and thus, undermining the validity and reliability of data gathered. In order to produce an analysis that is not dominated by the observer’s values based on their ethnic, gender, or class standpoint, the observer’s ability to be objective remained as an important factor in validating the data. To address this issue, observer can use a systematic approach to data analysis and increase the trustworthiness of the data.