Running head: Does technology make us more alone or more connected to the world?

Does technology make us more alone or more connected to the world?

How much of your social life can be impacted by technology? Who would imagine that

technology would affect our lives to this extent? Little did we know that technology will impact

how we interact with one another. A small ride in a public means of transport can just reveal the

little interactions going on in our lives, as people are glued to their mobile devices more.

Technology has greatly reduced interaction among people thereby affecting socialization among

people. People might be close to each other but can never communicate a word with one another.

Even though technological devices eliminate the communication gap, technology has brought

social isolation as one is unable to spend time engaging on one in one conversation with

individuals surrounding us, older people are unable to form social relationships using

technology, and this has resulted in the loss of physical contact.

Even though there is a high number of older adults accessing the internet, and because the

majority of the recent retirees have been using computers to work, there exists a huge digital gap

between older adults and the younger generation. Older individuals tend to use fewer

applications in addition to spending minimal time online compared to the younger generation

who spend more time. Kaspar (2004) found that older people’s resistance to the use of digital

technologies is not majorly a result of accessibility challenges. It was discovered that older adults

contain personally held values relating to technology desirability, great concerns related to its

effect on society, as well as fears of not getting things right in the process of using digital

technologies play a crucial role in holding back adults from accepting technology. Also, some

older individuals are slow to join social media sites as they tend to view those sites as being

arduous as well as time-consuming hence creating a disconnection with many youths on those
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sites. Considering the amount of time that the younger generations spend online and on social

sites, older adults have in the long run left alone with no one to talk to (Montalvo, 2017).

Technology has reduced the sizes of social circles. It draws individuals to online interactive

activities making them forget real-life friends. Kraut et al. (1998) allege that nowadays it is even

difficult for children to look at someone while they are speaking, what was regarded as being

rude in the social norms. Taking care of children has now become a very easy task because all

that parents require is a technological device to keep the children busy and forget the presence of

a guardian. Modern children are busy playing online video games or just any other games and

they are usually quiet and tend not to bother anyone. TV screens, computers and laptops present

in modern houses have now become central tools for communication as well as entertainment.

These devices are always there and on and have now made it easier for guardians and children to

spend time on their own thereby increasing cases of loneliness. The devices have become

addictive as people are obsessed with checking the news following TV soap operas, listening to

music, and being glued to social media sites instead of spending time with one another in a

family (Morahan-Martin, 1999).

Technology has elevated the feeling of isolation in relationships. Even though some individuals

tend to limit friends on social media sites to friends they know, the rate at which people meet

physically and communicate one on one has significantly reduced compared to the rate at which

individuals comment and like each other’s posts on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook.

Modern teens constantly have their eyes glued on their electronic devices in a way that when one

tries to talk to them it appears as if one is interrupting what they are doing. This aforementioned

is a clear illustration of how modern technology has affected the physical relationship. The
 Does technology make us more alone or more connected to the world? 3

modern generation is a generation that cannot speak or acknowledge one another in the same

room, they cannot share feelings or thoughts and all this is due to modern technology. Novotney

(2019) illustrates that modern children have their emotional and social lives twisted since they

tend to focus more on online interaction that they forget their real-life interactions. Technology

has affected teens in a way that they are more comfortable texting their fellow peers than

meeting them and conversing face-to-face for a lengthy time (Novotney, 2019).

However, in the recent past, people have become dependent on technology for several issues. For

instance, family members no longer need to travel a long distance to attend a family meeting

(Apaolaza et al., 2013). Through advancements in technology and the emergence of software,

family members or members of an organization can hold a meeting online to discuss any burning

issues without one travelling from their location. This is possible through applications such as

Meet and Zoom. Also, technology has made connections between geographically dispersed

individuals easier. Through social media applications, individuals can communicate with their

colleagues and friends through services like instant messaging, and social media platforms can

connect strangers allowing them to develop a relationship in just a matter of clicks in people’s

comfort in their offices or homes. Also, whenever one is tied or lonely, he/she may turn to the

radio and eliminate the boredom by maybe listening to music (Ojembe, 2019).

Even though the effects and impacts of using technology fully depend on how we use it at our

disposal, technology when not regulated is addictive and can greatly affect our physical

relationships. Without further ado, just like schools monitor technological use, parents and

guardians at home should also monitor the use of technological devices to prevent turning our

children into technology zombies.

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References
Kaspar, R. (2004). Technology and loneliness in old age. Gerontechnology, 3(1), 42-48.

https://journal.gerontechnology.org/archives/324-326-1-PB.pdf

Montalvo, F. L. (2017). Real Loneliness and Artificial Companionship: Looking for Social Connections in

Technology. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/honorstheses/186/

Kraut, R., Patterson, M., Lundmark, V., Kiesler, S., Mukophadhyay, T., & Scherlis, W. (1998). Internet

paradox: A social technology that reduces social involvement and psychological well-being?. American

psychologist, 53(9), 1017. https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/1998-10886-001

Morahan-Martin, J. (1999). The relationship between loneliness and Internet use and

abuse. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 2(5), 431-439.

https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/cpb.1999.2.431?download=true

Novotney, A. (2019). Continuing education the risks of social isolation. Monitor on Psychology, 50(5), 32-

37. https://www.apa.org/education-career/ce/social-isolation.pdf

Apaolaza, V., Hartmann, P., Medina, E., Barrutia, J. M., & Echebarria, C. (2013). The relationship

between socializing on the Spanish online networking site Tuenti and teenagers’ subjective wellbeing:

The roles of self-esteem and loneliness. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(4), 1282-1289.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563213000058

Ojembe, B. U., & Kalu, M. E. (2019). Television, radio, and telephone: Tools for reducing loneliness

among older adults in Nigeria. Gerontechnology (Valkenswaard), 18, 36-46.

https://journal.gerontechnology.org/currentIssueContent.aspx?aid=2719
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