Communication Stalled

Post date: Jan 18, 2017 5:50:29 PM

Brooke Eckert, staff

According to students at SBHS, communication has grown and changed in many different ways.

People in the world, not just teens, appear to be constantly “on” their phones.

Annie Calhoun (9) said, “I don’t think I am on my phone when I am in a conversation most of the time, but I will be on my phone when I am with people.”

Breanna Garry (9) said, “When I am talking to someone else, I am starting to get in the habit of putting my phone in my pocket or face down somewhere so that I am not tempted to be on it and I can be engaged in the conversation.”

Glory Christianson (9) said, “I think I check my phone at least 5 times an hour.”

According to “TIME,” on average an American checked his/her phone 46 times a day in 2015, raising concerns about social problems due to the lack of conversation in person versus on the phone or some other kind of device.

Regarding how cell phones impact communication skills, Danika Gordon (9) said, “I think it encourages them to talk to more people.”

Mairen McGrath (9) said, “Well, I think that many kids do struggle with social problems because they are to scared to talk to other. On the phone you have some time to think, so kids think it’s easier to talk on the phone than rather in real life. Overall, I think that online interaction is good, but people are using it for all the wrong reasons.”

“I think that for teenagers it is a normal thing” to check their phones when someone is talking to them, Garry said, “ but to adults, it is considered rude because they grew up so much differently technology-wise than teenagers are growing up.”

Calhoun (9) said she has a face-to-face conversation, “on a day when I have practice and school, maybe 15-20 times.”

“Almost all of my conversations with my friends are in person. That is how I normally communicate with people every day,” Christianson (9) said.

McGrath (9) said, “The main source of communication I use to talk to my friends is snapchat.”

Whether the device is a cell phone, tablet or computer, forms of communication have evolved due to technologies. Good or bad depends of the user.