Faith Edmonds Edmonds 1

Dr. Angela Mitchell

UWRT 1103-018

20 March 2018

Sometimes it is not recognized how often people depend on technology’s advancement

on a day-to-day basis in today’s society. (technology) It has impacted humans in our ways of

communication, relationships with others, and is necessary in our lives. Due to the impacts and

effects technology has on individuals, we as a society, need to address these outcomes. With the

digitalization of our world, understanding how this can influence our communication and

relationships with others is imperative. Transition There are countless positive and negative

effects that come with technology and social media use, making it vital to consider the

psychology supporting them.

Social Media influencing social comparison and happiness

A major component of technology and social media allows for people to instantaneously

connect with others. This type of connection can provide a variety of benefits considering you

can communicate and interact with others all over the world whenever you want. However, this

type of connection can also lead to negative effects, depending on how you interact with others

on social media. For example, during the interview of Rachel Leonard by NPR’s Shankar

Vedantam, he focuses on analyzing the effects of social media on Leonard’s life and

relationships with others. Throughout the interview Shankar determined that Leonard’s initial

use of social media was positive. The technology allowed her to make connections with others

while she was backpacking in Central America and share her awesome experiences. However,

she soon began to provide a false picture of her imperfect life by only posting about positive

aspects of her life. Just a way to reword?- However, she soon began to provide a false picture of
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her life by only posting the positive aspects which indicated a very put together, perfect life. One

of the main points of the interview was to reveal that over time, Leonard became [increasingly

unhappy] unhappier with her life as she was publicizing the opposite. The comparison she was

doing of her life to others with this twisted view of her life was the exact same thing the people

she was comparing herself to were doing. Rewording?- The comparison she was making

between her life and others was the exact same thing the people she was comparing herself to

were doing when Leonard would post her “perfect” life.

Within this interview the study done by Ohad Barzilay [what is this study?]was used in

support of the idea that social media causes people to compare and judge themselves more

harshly. This in turn also decreases [personal] their happiness [when] by you trying to prove

yourself to yourself through engaging in social comparison. Make quote from text In addition,

Barbara Kahn, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, conducted experiments that found

FOMO (the fear of missing out) is a form of social anxiety[. This may prohibit] and prohibits

someone from enjoying the moment [they are enaged…] that you’re engaged in because you are

worried that you are missing out on something else you are not involved in. Leonard states that

she now does not feel the need to broadcast her happy moments to the extent that she used to on

Facebook by just [instead she appreciates] being in the moment and enjoying that time. Overall,

the interview and reference of studies that have been conducted expose that social media can in

fact hinder your[don’t need your] happiness and create false relationships [as people compare

themselves to others in an unhealthy way in order to be perceived in a certain way] with others in

order to be perceived a certain way by comparing yourself to others in an unhealthy way.

Pros of technology in relationships

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Through further research a substantial amount of evidence supporting both ends of the

spectrum was discovered related [in refernce] to the debate about social media and technology as

it relates to relationships. Robert Weiss summarized the debate quite nicely and is quoted stating

how technology can become an issue when used in a negative light, but also “gives us many

different ways to build and maintain relationships, join communities, and express what we need

from each other.” [good example] Research determined that technology and social media leads to

more offline interaction, an example being setting up a time and place to meet or hang out. In

addition, relationships that include online interaction are closer, considering their means of

communication isn’t severed by distance, and they can have continuous interaction without being

in the other’s presence. Also, technology helps relationships last over time and distance, by

allowing people to continuously and instantaneously communicate [seems redundant after the

previous sentence]. Lastly, it makes people more aware of their group’s diversity and creates

communities, an example being blogging [such as blogging]. For the most part, the evidence

revealed supports the concept that technology is an important tool in today’s society and allows

for more connections and relationships that are stronger and more supportive [use as the last

sentence]. Even the idea that technology creates a stronger opportunity for bullying was

dispelled by the notion that there has always been bullying, cheating, etc. The platform of which

bullying happens now just differs from [the platform it held in the past] what it was in the past

[put this sentence before the previous one].

Socially isolating with technology

Another key component of technology’s influence in our lives considers the ability it has

to make someone more socially isolated than socially interactive. In a TED Talk by Sherry

Turkle, she focuses on how technology allows for people to be connected, but alone and socially
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isolated at the same time. The TED Talk indicated that people are allowing technology to

change who they are and their actions in daily life. A significant fear today emphasizes that

technology takes [the] place [of] and interferes with human contact and relationships between

people [don’t need “between people”]. Technology has begun to fulfill the fantasies that people

to put their attention wherever they want it to be [kinda confusing]. In addition, allows people to

feel they will always be heard, and they will never be alone. One of the major factors Turkle

mentions in her speech states “I share therefore I am.” Meaning, that if people connect they feel

more like themselves, in turn making them more isolated. Because of this, humans are replacing

their relationships and interactions with others with limited exchanges through technology to

control every aspect of their relationship or connection.

Blogging effects on relationships with others

Blogging as a means of communication with others in order to improve social interaction

in a positive manner was supported by substantial amounts of evidence done in research. For

example, in a particular study found, it was proven that blogging can be beneficial

psychologically, especially for teens who have social anxiety. After an experiment was

conducted, the results found were that “maintaining a blog had a stronger positive effect on

troubled students’ well-being than merely expressing their social anxieties and concerns in a

private diary. Opening the blog up to comments from the online community intensified those

effects.” With these results, it was determined that blogging online improved self-esteem, social

anxiety, emotional distress and the number of positive social behaviors in comparison to those

who did nothing and those who wrote in a private diary [good paragraph].

This particular research was quite interesting because [it] enhanced the concept that

blogging can also provide a community for people who have and are victims of domestic
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violence. [Due to the…] Because of the psychological, physical, and emotional trauma people

have been through [have experienced] they need a way to gain positive social interactions with

others in a safe and supportive environment. Blogging proves to be a phenomenal way to

accomplish this. Technology offers a platform in which victims can come together and share

their story with countless amounts of people and also receive the love and support they need to

recover and grow from their experiences. Relationships [formed] between a variety of domestic

violence victims through blogging [being used as a social platform]- don’t need reinforces the

argument that technology can be an amazing way to help people in a positive manner.

Take out unnecessary information

Make more commentary on examples

Have more examples

Give opinion

More about blogging

Include info about domestic violence

In conclusion

Paramedic method

Cohesion