the digital family: exploring the impact of digital devices on family relationships
TRANSCRIPT
The Digital Family
Exploring the Impact of Digital Devices on Family Relationships
By Michèle Whitcombe Image: Alexis Doyen via Life of Pix
The presence of digital
technology is ubiquitous in
the world around us and
has made its way into the
family realm.
Image: Frank Winkler via Pixabay
The role of digital devices in family life is a double-edged sword:
Encourages isolation and weakens relationships. (1)
Encourages socialization and togetherness. (1)
Image: Francois Schnell via Flickr
The effect that technology has on relationships
between family members depends on how, when, and
why it is used within the family setting.
Image: Leeroy via Life of Pix
Over 25% of children 13 - 20
would rather turn to the
internet first to seek help
rather than speak with a
parent or guardian. (2)
Kids may use technology to replace their
parents’ wisdom when faced with
a problem.
Image: Ed Gregory via Stokpic
A high school sophomore expressed that he would rather seek dating advice from artificial
intelligence than his Dad. (3)
Image: Viktor Hanacek via Picjumbo
“We have to learn to live with [technology] in a
healthy way, according to our
human values. And our human
values are not to put our kids
fifth, after texts, e-mail, twitter, and everything
else.” – Sherry Turkle (5)
Children are competing in a
form of "sibling rivalry" against
their parents' devices. (4)
Image: Lisa Runnels via Pixabay
Parents are consumed by
their technology
because it has blurred the
lines between work and
family life. (6)
Image: Niek Verlaan via Pixabay
And this problem is magnified at the
family dinner table.
Parents and children can relate to Daniel
Goleman's quote: "We are seduced by distraction. We are being pulled away
from paying attention to things
that enrich our lives.” (7)
Image: Viktor Hanacek via Picjumbo
Uninvited digital guests often accompany family members to the dinner table and impede family members from engaging in meaningful
conversation.
"Stop Googleing, I don't care about the right answer. I just want to talk to you.”
– 14-Year-Old Girl (8) Image: Thomas Lefebvre via Unsplash
"Research shows that just having a
phone on the table is sufficiently distracting to
reduce empathy and rapport
between two people who are in
conversation.” – Verena von Pfetten
(9)
Image: Viktor Hanacek via Picjumbo
The relationship between family members is also impacted by the "ethical and social dilemma” of
monitoring one another's activities through digital means. (10)
Image: Heidi Sadecky via Pixabay
"Mutual trust is the most
important casualty of too
little privacy within the
family.” – Robert Mayer (12)
Parents may feel they are being
negligent if they are not
monitoring their childrens’ actions in the digital and
real world. (11)
Image: Adrianna Calvo via Pexels
It has been discovered that most of the negative impacts technology use can have on family
relationships occurs between immediate family members when they are in close proximity. (13)
This is not always the case…
Image: Jill Wellington via Pixabay
Some families report that mobile
technology has caused family time to become
organic, not forced. (14)
Image: William Iven via Pixabay
Wearable technologies are
bringing the “hospital to the home”, allowing
ill family members to
continue living at home with their families
while monitoring their
health. (15) Image: Crew via Unsplash
Where technology shines its positive light is in its ability to keep family members
connected in our mobile and globalized world, whether we are separated by 10 or
10000 kilometres.
Image: Ryan McGuire via Pixabay
Between work, school, and extra curricular activities, family members are constantly separated. Mobile
technology is the needle that knits family members together throughout their busy days. (16)
Image: Tammy McLean via Pixabay
“The ability for families to have continuous contact throughout the day with
other family members increases the feeling of
closeness and happiness. The majority of families claim they communicate
more, know each other better, and are able to
organize practicalities/logistics during the week
more easily.” – Ericsson Consumer Lab (16) Image: Eric Rothermel via Unsplash
Digital technology allows family members separated by large distances to continue to have a presence in
one another's lives. (13)
Image: Jose Antonio Alba via Pixabay
Rhonda Wilson uses
skype to connect with her daughter
who moved across the
country with her husband
and children - "It's a
blessing to see their daily
lives on skype." (17)
Image: sathyatripodi via Pixabay
What researchers have found is that technology accentuates the relationships that family
members have with one another. (18)
Image: Creative Vix via Pexels
Ultimately, it is how, when, and why technology is used that makes it either an inhibitor or facilitator within family
relationships.
Image: Jill Wellington via Pixabay
Bibliography (1) Benesch, C. (2011). The Virtual Family: Does Technology Help Or Hinder Family Life?. Institute of Marriage and Family Canada. Retrieved 28 May 2016, from http://www.imfcanada.org/issues/the-virtual-family (2) Children More Likely To Turn To The Internet If They Are Upset Than A Friend, Study Finds. (2016). The Telegraph. Retrieved 28 May 2016 from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/12195839/Children-more-likely-to-turn-to-internet-if-they-are-upset-than-a-friend-study-finds.html (3) Turkle, S. (2012). The Flight From Conversation. The New York Times. Retrieved 28 May 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/the-flight-from-conversation.html (4) Bologna, C. (2015). Powerful Ads Show What Your Child Sees When You're Addicted to Your Phone. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 28 May 2016, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/powerful-ads-show-what-your-child-sees-when-youre-addicted-to-your-phone_us_559fd64be4b096729155ec27 (5) Lowry, L. (n.d.) Facebook vs Face-to-Face: How Technology Threatens Parent-Child Interaction. The Hanen Centre. Retrieved 28 May 2016, from http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Our-Views-on-the-News/Facebook-vs-Face-to-Face--How-Technology-Threatens.aspx (6) Clarkson, J., Goldhaber, T. and Mieczakowski, A. (2011). Culture, Communication, and Change: A Summary of An Investigation of the Use and Impact of Modern Media and Technology In Our Lives. University of Cambridge. Retrieved 28 May 2016, from https://www-edc.eng.cam.ac.uk/books/culturebookshort/short_report_final_23.06.11.pdf (7). Anderssen, E. (2014). Digital Overload: How We Are Seduced By Distraction. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 28 May 2016, from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/relationships/digital-overload-how-we-are-seduced-by-distraction/article17725778/?page=all (8)Turkle, S. (2013). The Documented Life. The New York Times. Retrieved 28 May 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/16/opinion/the-documented-life.html (9) Von Pfetten, V. (2016). Read This Story Without Distraction (Can You?). The New York Times. Retrieved 28 May 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/01/fashion/monotasking-drop-everything-and-read-this-story.html
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(10) Ingram, M. (2013). Snooping On Your Kids: If The NSA's Tools Were Available, I Probably Would Have Used Them. Gigaom. Retrieved 28 May 2016, from https://gigaom.com/2013/08/07/snooping-on-your-kids-if-the-nsas-tools-were-available-i-probably-would-have-used-them/ (11) Paul, P. (2013) Cyberparenting and the Risk of TMI. The New York Times. Retrieved 28 May 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/05/fashion/cyber-parents-accessing-perhaps-tmi.html (12) Mayer, R. (2003). Technology, Family, and Privacy: Can We Know Too Much About Our Loved Ones?. Journal of Consumer Policy, 26(4), 419-439. http://journals2.scholarsportal.info.proxy.queensu.ca/pdf/01687034/v26i0004/419_tfapcwtmaolo.xml (13) Netburn, D. (2011). Technology Can Both Improve and Hinder Family Relationships, Survey Says. The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 28 May 2016, from http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/07/skyping-with-grandma-and-texting-at-the-dinner-table-a-new-report-examines-the-effect-of-technology-.html (14) Williams, A. (2011). Quality Time, Redefined. The New York Times. Retrieved 28 May 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/01/fashion/01FAMILY.html (15) Rhew, D. (2016). Welcome Home: The Health Hub of the Future. Samsung Business Insights. Retrieved 28 May 2016, from https://insights.samsung.com/2016/03/24/welcome-home-the-health-hub-of-the-future/ (16) Ericsson Consumer Lab. ( 2015). Bringing Families Closer: The Impact of Communications Technology on Families in the US. Ericsson. Retrieved 28 May 2016, from http://www.ericsson.com/res/docs/2015/consumerlab/ericsson-consumerlab-bringing-families-closer.pdf (17) Steinweg, C. (2013) Generations: Technology Keeps Us Connected. The Times nwi.com. Retrieved 28 May 2016, from http://www.nwitimes.com/lifestyles/seniors/generations-technology-keeps-us-connected/article_0c9705ef-8bdc-5e4b-b9a4-7a3c57dc4628.html (18) Gordon, A. (2012). Digital Age Affects Family Time and Relationships. The Toronto Star. Retrieved 28 May 2016, from https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2012/02/20/digital_age_affects_family_time_and_relationships.html
Bibliography Continued
*Please note that the light blue text indicates that the source is a course reading