How technology has impacted on the way humans communicate
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Made using Canva, Image from PexelsCritical Reflection 3
The
last 2 decades has involved the rapid development of different technologies, one
of the major types being communication-technologies. As communication-technologies
have advanced they have become reliable, easily accessible and an integral part
of our society today, as they have slowly shaped community and their methods of communication (Ranney & Troop-Gordon, 2015). A few key changes to our
communication include speed, method and style.
The
rise of recent technologies in our society has led to extremely quick
communication, with easy access to the latest technologies and messaging apps
(Wong, 2016). Mobile phones, tablets, laptops can all be used to contact
someone at any time of the day and from anywhere. It also provides easy access to assistance in the event
of an emergency - help can be reached wherever you are (Ling, 2004).
Our methods of communication have also changed as many people
choose to message or call someone rather than meet up and have a conversation
face-to-face. This provides convenience and gives access to people who aren’t close
by, or are even in another country with the click of a button (Wong, 2016).
Communication style is another significant change
present in today’s society. With the constant use of text-based communication-technologies
such as social network sites and email, an individual’s experience of a
conversation can be impacted. These methods reduce the use of non-verbal cues (like eye-contact, body language, tone of voice, etc.),
affecting the way that messages are perceived and the amount of emotion that
can be expressed (Ranney & Troop-Gordon, 2015).
There are various ethical issues that are
important in our current society. The two I will discuss are privacy and lack
of human connection.
Advancements in technology have meant it is too
easy for information to be accessed from anywhere and a person’s movements to
be tracked. This is a breach of their privacy and has to be carefully monitored
when using technology (Mishra, 2015). I have participated in the use of these
technologies, and have noticed there are steps to take to ensure that you are
protecting your information as best you can.
Another issue developing is a lack of human
connection. This is due to the quick nature of technology and its convenience,
however it leads to a decrease in human interaction (Wong, 2016). It is also due
to the easy accessibility, even when with friends and family.
Communication-technologies is a topic I am very
familiar with and I am confident that they have changed our society mostly for
the better. However, my experience has led me to continually question the value
of our privacy with these technologies…
- Eliza
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References
Ling, R. (2004). The mobile connection: the cell
phone’s impact on society. San Francisco, CA: Elsevier.
Mishra, M. (2015). Ethical, legal and social
aspects of information and communication technology. [Online Article]
Retrieved from https://arxiv.org/pdf/1507.08447.pdf
Ranney, J, D., & Troop-Gordon, W. (2015).
Problem-focused discussions in digital contexts: the impact of information and
communication technologies on conversational processes and experiences. Computers in Human Behavior, 51, 64-74.
doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.04.038
Wong, W. (2016). How technology has changed the
way we communicate. [WebPage]. Retrieved from http://blog.wps.com/how-technology-has-changed-the-way-we-communicate/
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Hey Eliza,
ReplyDeleteI have really enjoyed reading your blog post on how technology has impacted on the way humans communicate and the ethical issues that surround these changes. It is evident you have a good understanding of the driving question, and have taken the time to reflect on it. The inclusion of other academic sources demonstrate your wide reading around the topic and were highly appropriate in supporting your arguments you put forward.
I particularly liked the structure of your blog. The way you have organised the information in a systematic format was effective and helped me to follow your argument through without getting confused at any stage. Also, I found it very interesting that you presented both sides of the argument in relation to the impact of technology on communication, as this further reinforced that you have done extensive research.
One thing I would recommend for your blog is to perhaps include a brief summary of what communication was like prior to advancements in technology. In this way, it would really help to emphasise your point that technology has had a significant impact on communication, by contrasting it to what it was like before where such technologies did not exist. You might want to explore this website I found that could provide some valuable information for this. Also, it would be good if you could include your personal insight into the question, i.e. What do you think of the changes in technology? Do you agree that they have made communication easier or do you believe they have hindered face-to-face communication?
Overall, it was engaging to read and informative and the presentation of your entire blog is very appealing!
Pascale.
Doyle, J. (2017). The History of Communication Technology. Retrieved from https://www.conferencecallsunlimited.com/history-of-communication-technology/
Hi Eliza!
ReplyDeleteYour article was very interesting to read!
I loved that you focused this blog post on one specific type of technology rather than broadly discussing technology!
In my opinion there are some things that I think you could adjust to pull this post to the next level. When mentioning you will discuss something (“The two I will discuss are privacy and lack of human connection”) I think this could possibly go in the introduction, that way you have outlined what you will be discussing.
I would love to hear an elaboration on where you have participated in the use of some technologies (“I have participated in the use of these technologies, and have noticed…”). I think it would be intriguing to see something detailed from your perspective such as which technologies you participated in (i.e. mapping your walk, using GPS, or find my phone apps etc.) and if what you noticed had a positive or negative element to it.
Lastly, I would like to say that your closing point is so engaging! Where you mentioned that you are led to continually question the value of your privacy, it made me consider my own and think quite thoroughly on the subject. This point even reminded me of an article in the Sunday Times by Richard Woods where he discusses the threat to an individual’s privacy with the introduction of Facial Recognition software (Woods, 2011). Similarly, a journal article written by Judith W. DeCew argues the need for laws to be updated to protect privacy especially in a modern world where technology has advanced so much (DeCrew, 2016). I highly recommend checking them both out!
You have written a great post Eliza! Thank you for a great read!
Happy Blogging,
Krystie
REFERENCES:
DeCew, J. (2016). Privacy and its importance with advancing technology. Ohio Northern University Law Review 42(2), 471-492.
Woods, R. (2011). Look out, it's the face snatchers: Face recognition technology is advancing fast, threatening a new assault on our privacy. Sunday Times, p. 6. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy2.acu.edu.au/docview/871315559?accountid=8194