Communication Technology And Its Impact On Social Interaction - Research Paper Example

? (Educational ‘Communication technology and its impact on social interaction’ With technological advancements, communications between individuals have actually taken another dimension of existence. People have plenty of modes for communication than ever before. Communications have been improved both in speed and in multiparty communication. The choice that people have employed in communication depends on the accessibility and affordability of the present technology, especially the use of computers. These have changed many people’s habits and styles. The only worry that has befallen the communication and technology industry is wether the quality of communication is increasing or decreasing. Technology has been able to develop working conditions in all industries; personal interactions have been shaped, and more so, the aspect of the social networking through social sites has taken over the communication industry.1 This topic tries to expound on the technology employed in communication from a social interaction perspective. This process does not precisely refer to face-to-face interaction, but as opposed to technology, mediates interaction. In another case, the main aim of this study is to try and explain why the degree of collective innovation within the work communities has decreased and the way work place interactions has become more functional. The need to expand new competences caused social tension and conflicts. On the other hand, the introduction of technology seems to have been the long awaited answer to people’s problems. These problems are like information problem solving that was elicited in a hoc way and took place mainly evolving, but in some cases also stable social networks. In this case, the information communication technology has both negative and positive effects on the users. Especilly the emergence of Email as a medium of convaying masseges from one person to the other via the use of mobile phones and computers.2 Technology development especially the use of emails and Nature of Office Work Technology has changed the nature and conditions of work, both in the offices and out in the fields. Although technology facilitates information transport and extensions of social networks, both inside and outside organizations, it reduces face to face interactions. Employees spent most of their times on computers using emails to pass information from one part to the other, rather than with their fellow colleagues. With the concern of social welfare within a work field, communication technology has led to poor communication within the workers. In addition to this reduction of face-to-face social interaction, the level of social support and belief also goes down. As the result, it leads to an exceedingly poor worker-to-worker relationships.3 This is because most people prefer using emails on their personal computers rather than face to face communication. Social Networking sites, such as MySpace, Twitter and Facebook, have taken over social networking industries for the past few years. Both young and old people have become captives of this bubonic plague used differently by people to satisfy their needs. Some people use them as advertising sites, keeping in touch with friends and relatives and updating others on what is going on in others minds to help reach out to the public. Yes, we are the members of these social networking sites, and we can not run from the truth. What concerns people most is the way this sites have got themselves involved in the use of emails. It is evident that even this sites use email to help reach their addressee, and they also have their web pages that can be accesed via Emails. With the sites, through either emails or information displayed in the emails, one has no way of confirming that the information posted on their walls is inaccurate. This is because individuals post what is in their minds. These posts are open to be seen by all of the people one befriends. The information posted might paint either a negative or positive picture in the mind of the viewer. Some may like it; others may not. In most occasions, the post tells an individual a lot about the other person. We look for jobs day in and out, and some of us have them. When we are using these sites, we have to be conscious of what we post. Therefore, emails can be a good media of us passing our messages to the public if used apropriately. Still it is hard to foresee the reaction of the employer. We should be more focused on using these sites with positive minds because it might be a way of advertising oneself positively, and through that someone can be able to get a job. Nevertheless, the site can be a steeping stone for individual’s downfall. A person can lose a job through the posts if they give a negative impression towards the job, a fellow employees or to thr employer.4 The evolution of Information communication technology (ICT) is repeatedly seen as two distinct spheres that are mistakenly thought-out as as separate ones. As the use of email grows, it is obvious that commercial application and use of technology represent political, economic and social spheres that overlap. Many communities oftenly focus more on the means than in the end are the results of technology. That is the service they can use and leverage to improve their daily life. To give a hint of this, let us look at it through the perspective of technical possibilities, economic viability, and the social acceptability.5 Accessing emails via internet on personal computers is actually transforming the world since it has become a necessity in the advanced economies. A person is able to access materials online; thus, s/he is open to acquiring substantial information and financial advantage. Some of the advantages that those with internet have are availability of online information at any time, reduced costs through online transactions (renewing permits, paying bills or working from home), and reduced costs of services such as travel or use of online auctions; moreover, in most cases people are able to get the feedbeck via Emails. With this, many people who like short cuts will find it easier to transact business via emails rather than doing physical transactions. This appears to be an easy way of communication, but it limits the two groups of personal negotiations, and in some cases, the deals transacted online might not be from a trusted person.6 The death of distance proclaimed by the economists in 1995 states that the distance does not matter. The conquering of distance with the technology has been an advantage in terms of costs due the efficient access to people and information worldwide. With the death of distance, however, it makes a person miss many of the nuances of the structure and the characteristics of the electronic interaction. Distance is not an issue to those in affluent countries, or working in information industries, or those with business or personal reason to contact others. Those whom distance does not matter account only for a fraction of the world population. For many of the world inhabitants, distance remains a key factor in communication. This is also caused by the lack of technology knowledge thus causing the situation when many people are unable to access internet or manage their Emails. More often than ever, the concept of death of distance is the mistaken assumption that it also refers to the declining importance of place. Low costs in electronic interruptions have made it easier for people to keep in touch with each other. This has been effective as people can communicate to each other by the use of telephones and mobile phones through Email and or media call. Nowadays it has become normal for those who visit medical places, shops, hotels and have all the bills transacted online that the information concerning their accounts can be accesed via the Emails. This gives a clear indication that the transaction that takes place might not need a physical presence of the recipient. The process is done computably with the recipient far from the receiver, but getting feedback on time via the use of emails. Diffusion innovation is theoretical perspective that focuses on the adoption of new ideas, practices and technologies. According to Rogers, perception about the attributes can facilitate the rate at which a new idea is adopted. To be specific, innovation is adopted by people with positive minds if they believe that they offer an advantage over what exists; if they are compatible with the potential users’ existing values, experience, and needs; if they are perceived as being fairly easy to understand and use; if users can try them before they commit to purchase; if users can easily observe their use. Communication channels only become effective if they are efficient and convey many different type of information such as visual, verbal and non-verbal. Social presence means that a person is able to feel the presence of the other person. But it gives the definition of the user perspective. For example, when using the desktop conferencing over the Webcam, it may be perceived as a way of projecting a grater degree of social presence of conferencing. This is because of the ability to see other images via the emails since the emails have been modified to an extend of having chat rooms in them.7 Conclusion It is evident that as the technology changes, it creates a greater importance of work knowledge. Communities face varying experiences. Technology has undoubtedly shaped the social interactions of people. Thus, it is beneficial if we keep ourselves updated with the manifestations about the social interactions and create opportunities to interact with others, too. This is because the world is dynamic and we have to keep pace with it. It will be good if we try to look at both positive and negative effects of what we do over those social sites, especially via the use of emails, and focus on how technology affects us a whole since the technology can kill or build individuals’ dignity at places of work or any other place. Bibliography David J, Atkin. Communication Technology And Social Change: Theory And Implications. London: Routledge, 2007. Eugene E. Loos, Leslie Haddon,E.A. Mante Meijer. The Social Dynamics of Information and Communication Technology. New York: Ashgate Publishing, 2008. Kenneth E. Corey, Mark I. Wilson. Urban And Regional Technology Planning: Planning Practice in the Global Knowledge Economy. New York: aylor & Francis, 2006. Read More