Effect of Technology on Human Social Interaction

Research Paper 1: The Effect of 21st Century Technology on Human Social Interaction Breanna Cummings Humanity has come far from its primitive beginnings. From sticks and stone wheels to the fantastic technology of today. Each tool made toward the betterment of life more wondrous – and many times more dangerous – than the next. Humans have come from stone tools to hydrogen bombs. Humanity has become so accustomed to – so connected to -- technology that it can no longer live without it. If all electricity were to somehow cease to be a thing in the world, society might very well collapse before our eyes. Really, there is no stopping this evolution, whether humanity as a whole see error in technology or not. In “The Evolution of Technology,” George Basalla asks how the world came to such a point that it could not stop its advancement. I question its exact effects. The advancement of media technologies in the 21st century have greatly impacted society. More specifically, the merging of modern media technology and the various social settings of society has had major influence on social interaction between individuals. The media technologies of today effect social interaction in many different ways. Modern media technologies can encourage the interaction of many groups of people claiming different backgrounds, ethnicities, and generations. It can aid in bridging gaps both generational and cultural. To the contrary however, media technologies in any social setting can – according to the studies in “The Impact of New Media Technologies on Social Interaction in the Household” – easily result in a growing privatization in areas of life that, in an earlier, less technologically advanced time, would have been shared with friends and family. People are using technology separately rather than in groups. How are 21st century media technologies impacting social interaction among individuals? Do modern media technologies actually bring

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