Impact of Cell Phones on the Social Relationships Society - Research Paper Example

Impact of cell phones on the social relationships society. CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1 Background of the study The first cellphone was made in the year1956 in Sweden. This cellphone was not utilized and it was inaccessible. Several attempts by the Bell Labs in collaboration with the Motorola Company established the first family of the cellular network, which was not approved up until the early 1980s. Despite the fact that it was not approved, it made the researchers to aim at creating a communication channel that was convenient to everyone. After the advancements in the second and third family of cellphones, it is now a basic commodity of daily life. In the current times we are living, people are able to send short text messages several times a day. They are also able to do several other things such as listening to music, chatting on the internet, and taking photographs among others. These photographs could be sent to people in different parts of the world. Changes in the field of expertise are a common phenomenon in the modern world; with the idea of globalization, the world has become accessible and open to everyone. This has happened through the use of cellphones. Cellphones are among the most commonly used technological development applications used today. According to a study carried out by Rebello et al. 2010, the number of people who have subscribed to cellphone usage in the less developed countries was less than one billion in the year 2001. This is not the situation at the moment, as the subscriptions stand near five billion across the world. It was further surprising as the number of cellphone owners in the less developed countries is higher than that of developed nations (Rebello et al. 2010). In a study conducted in Norway, the usage of cellphones is high among the younger people. The study showed that close to one hundred per cent of sixteen year old teenagers had a phone in 2001 (Ling, 2001). CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Positive Impacts of the Cellphone The text message service has become the most popular means in which people are able to chat with others. In a study conducted in the United States by Fernando (2007), it revealed that the number of people making calls dropped by fifty eight percent in 2006, up from eighty percent. Other studies conducted have shown that sending messages will create stronger relationships between individuals. This is because the service gives the person ample time to prepare for the communication process unlike the face to face method. The text message service has enabled the creation of new lingua that has deteriorated the rules of grammar. In a research conducted by the Nokia Company in 2001 across the world, it revealed that eighty percent of the people fewer than forty five years of age used the messaging service. (Reid 2004). Teenagers in this study agreed to have spent an equal amount of time texting as well as talking to each other. They agreed that the cellphone has enabled them creates stronger relationships amongst themselves. The text message service has been said to provide privacy for its users. This is because it gives time to the individual to respond without having to draw the attention of other people. It allows for the unseen and the unheard form of communication among people. The cellphone have been referred to as the tool of the public arena. They have made the larger universe accessible to everyone. It has facilitated social communication in smaller and larger spheres of life. Cellphones are also popular since they are portable, as well as easy to use. Even in the remotes areas, the old have been seen using and easily operating cellphones. This indicates that they do not require tact to manipulate its functions. This has been able to create strong ties within people as they are constantly in communication. They are also affordable since they are available in many ranges and different prices; individuals are therefore able to choose from. They also become convenient for people who can’t purchase computers as there are those that have keyboards similar to those of computers. (Glotz 2005). Cellphones could also be used in sending pictures to people who are far from each other and as a result, they ensure a bonded relationship between themselves. They are also useful in sending emails which are a means of communication between people in close and far distances. They have enable business transactions with people in different nations. The Negative Impacts of Cellphones Research has shown that there are increasing level of addiction to cellphone. Individuals shift from listening to music, playing games, sending messages, surfing and others, at the expense of the physical relationships. Research done by Reid and Reid (2007) shows that people with low self-esteem frequently use their cellphones in creating new alliances, and in attempting to gain control over their social relationships, unlike those with high self-esteem. Similar studies also show that it is hard for such people to make new friends. The research further shows that people are creating a strong connection to their cell phones that they think they wouldn’t function adequately minus them. (Reid et al. 2007)      Cellphones have become a threat to human health in several ways. In the first instance, there are individuals who drive and the same time use their phones on calling or even sending text messages. These possess a health threat to the pedestrians, fellow drivers as well as their own lives. The situation deteriorates when the same person is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The consequences of cellphone radiation on human health have also been greatly documented. The usage of cellphones is likely to cause cancer related diseases. The usage of cellphones has made the family bonds fragile. Research has indicated that even at meal times, they respond to phone calls or even send text messages. The situation is worse when people are together in a gathering and others are using their cellphone on calling, chatting or texting. This has threatened people’s oral skills. People are comfortable sending messages than initiating talks with strangers. His has posed a threat to the social relationships between human beings. (Reid, 2007) Students have been reported carrying their cellphones to learning institutions. This has been a challenge that has affected all the levels of learning. This encourages cheating in examination through internet and through text messages sent to each other. Cybercrime has been on the rise among the generations through the cellphone internet. This is also common among people who do not have access to computers. This bullying could result into cases of low self-esteem as well as suicidal feelings. CHAPTER THREE PROPOSAL 3.1The commonly researched areas. With the increasing usage of cellphones, researches in the various aspects have also increased. Among the researches conducted are the impacts of cellphone usage while driving by Caird, Willness, Steel, and Scialfa in 2008; Horrey and Wickens in 2006; McCartt, Hellinga, and Braitman in 2006). The other thematic areas researched on include cell phone mannerisms by Lipscomb, Totten, Cook and Lesch, 2007, the impacts of cell phone cultures as well behaviors by Campbell and Park in 2008; Bakke in 2010 and Ling in 2004. The concept of text messaging has also been researched on by Pettigrew in 2009 and the effects of cell phone radiation on health on human health by several scholars by several scholars. 3.2 Research Gaps Research has failed to address the impact of cellphones on social relationships among people. Furthermore, not so much has been done on the different gender differences in cellphone usage. They have shown that the female gender uses the phone mostly for talking and that they have a strong affiliation to their phones unlike their male counterparts. (Bianchi & Phillips, 2005; Smoreda & Licoppe, 2000; Wei & Lo, 2006). No research has also been conducted on the amount of time spent on cellphones by the different genders. This study is particularly interested on the impacts of cellphones on the social relationships between individuals. 3.3 Research question 1) How do cellphones strengthen social relationships between individuals? 2) How do cellphones weaken social relationships between individuals? 3.4 Hypotheses of the study. 1) They study hypothesized that frequent cellphone usage on texting weakens social relationships between individuals. 2) It also hypothesized that cellphone usage on calling; sending messages as well as exchange of photographs strengthen social relationships between people. REFERENCES Fernando, Angelo. 2007. "If you text it, they may come." Communication World 24(4):11-12 (http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ufh&AN=25547883&site=ehostlive). Glotz, Peter; Bertschi, Stefan; Locke Chris (2005) Thumb culture: the meaning of mobile phones for society, Transaction Publishers Leung, Louis. 2008. “Leisure boredom, sensation seeking, self-esteem, and addiction: Symptoms and patterns of cell phone use.” Pp 359-381 in Mediated Personal Communication. Edited by S.B. Barnes, E. A. Konijn, M. Tanis, and S. Utz. New York, NY: Routledge Ling, Richard Seyler (2004), The mobile connection: the cell phone’s impact on society, Elsevier Inc Reid, Donna J. and Fraser J. M. Reid. 2007. "Text or Talk? Social Anxiety, Loneliness, and Divergent Preferences for Cell Phone Use." CyberPsychology & Behavior 10(3):424-435. Read More