Texting and Social Media: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

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As time passes society goes through numerous changes and many go unnoticed. However, there is an apparent difference in relationships now versus relationships in the past. This is because of the use of technology, specifically social media and texting. These changes are seen in almost every aspect of relationships, from how they form, develop and sometimes even end. But the important idea here is not just the fact they have changed, it is the notion that the use of social media and texting is actually harming relationships more than it is helping them. It is important to look at the causes and what exactly is happening within the relationships that is harmful. From there, one can start to discover what they need to change in order to not let technology affect their relationships in a negative way. Though there are some positives about the use of social media and texting, it is absolutely vital that this generation starts to recognize the damage being done to their relationships.
The issue with texting and social media is not that is makes humans totally and completely unsocial. Matter of fact, in most cases it comes down to people being too “social.” Technology is purposely created nowadays to allow users to communicate with one another, especially adolescents. There has been vast amounts of research done on this topic but a specific one to mention was done by an assistant professor in the Department of Communication and Culture in the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University Bloomington. The professor, Ilana Gershon, conducted research about technology and communication with students at the college campus. Gershon stated in her book, The Breakup 2.0, that, “To think of technology as something that is used in social int...

... middle of paper ...

... Lori, Jonathan Sandberg, Roy Bean, Dean Busby, and Sarah Coyne. "Using Technology to Connect in Romantic Relationships: Effects on Attachment, Relationship Satisfaction, and Stability in Emerging Adults." Using Technology to Connect in Romantic Relationships: Effects on Attachment, Relationship Satisfaction, and Stability in Emerging Adults 12.4 (2013): 314-38. Taylor & Francis Group. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.
Suler, John. “The Online Disinhibition Effect.” Cyberpsychology & Behavior 7.3 (2004): 321 326. Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.
Trenholm, Sarah. Thinking Through Communication: An Introduction to the Study of Human Communication. USA: Pearson Education, 2011. Print.
Turkle, Sherry. Alone Together: Why We Expect More From Technology and Less From Each Other. New York: Basic, 2011. Print.
---. Turkle, Sherry. "Connect, but Alone?" Tedtalk. 02 Apr. 2014.

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