Negative Effects Of Mobile Phones On Teenagers

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“An 8-by-10 foot cell no human contact, no chance to see the moon or the stars or the sun, or hear the birds for years and decades? That’s torture.” (Bernstein, 2013) This quote by Keith James, a prisoner advocate, discusses what solitary confinement is like. As extreme as this may be social isolation can be minimally comparable to solitary confinement. In both cases somebody is being isolated from the outside world, the major difference being solitary confinement is forced upon a person while social isolation is a person’s choice. Even though mobile users are claiming that they are using their devices for social purposes only, scholars believe that may be beginning to cause social isolation amongst people (Omotayo, Yiefeng, and Shyam, 2008). Social isolation may not be a huge threat at this point of time, however teenagers are taking their mobile and online conversations out of the home and into public areas. The terms interproximate and interkinesic communication are used to describe a mobile user who is in two places at once (Omotayo, Yiefeng, and Shyam, 2008). For example, you can be physically with the person, interproximate, but at the same time be on your mobile communicating with another person, interkinesic. In this case the person you are physically with will most likely be negatively impressed by the lack of enthusiasm for interaction. Through observation researchers were able to show that mobile phone users are using their devices as a “retreat” from the real world. While the researchers claimed that the use of mobiles in public places is exclusion, or isolation. A reason for that mobile users are engaging in interproximate and interkinesic communication comes from feeling the need to satisfy the us... ... middle of paper ... ...7th September 2013. Web. 11th March 2014. http://mashable.com/2013/09/27/ios-parental-controls/ Scully Allison, Newhouse Melissa, Murray Pam, & Bates Sara. “Traditional Bullying vs. Cyberbullying.” Cyberbullying. Google Sites. Web. January 13th 2014. https://sites.google.com/site/cyberbullyingawareness/traditional-bullying-vs-cyberbullying “The Dangers of Cyberbullying.” PureSight: Online Child Safety. PureSight. Web. January 13th 2014. http://puresight.com/Cyberbullying/the-dangers-of-cyber-bullying.html “The Importance of Social Interaction to Human Health.” Hebiofeedback. HEBF: Herts Eeg Biofeedback, 14th September 2012. Web. 30th October 2013. http://www.hebiofeedback.co.uk/hebf-latest/the-importance-of-social-interaction-to-human-health/ “What are Social Skills?” Skills You Need. Web. 30th October 2013. http://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/social-skills.html

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