DRAFT #2
Social media has involved into an open diary for the world to see through someone’s post. Our world is verbally changing. These sites and applications have transformed communities into nonverbal texting societies. Social Media encourages us to interact with one another around the clock but it also causes us to be disconnected, leading it to be a common denominator to the downfall of friendships/ relationships. This technology allows one to hide behind text, tweets, emoticons and status’ and allows the receiver to make up an emotional illusion that the sender perceives. This misinterpretation is one of the ways it affects relationships.
If teens today have a problem with someone or an altercation they would rather talk it out in a text than talking on the phone or meeting up in person. One study shows that texting and using other types of instant messaging such as Facebook or email can actually hurt rather than help relationships. On a survey that was recently done among 70 Snow College students, it was shown that 89% of those surveyed have had an argument with a significant other through text messaging or Facebook. Although texting is a handy tool, it lacks tone, emotion, facial expressions, body language, and eye contact. It is likely that the message can cause misinterpretation, misunderstanding, and even deception.
The word ‘whatever’ is commonly misinterpreted because it has more than one meaning. In the survey, 42% said that they had a relationship with a boyfriend/girlfriend end, or be seriously affected by an argument they had through texting. Among the 42%, nearly all of those who were surveyed said that the argument, had it been held in person, could have been resolved (Drayton Ball). Arguments can be resolved much easier if you just meet up in person rather than text. Face-to-face confrontation allows one to see body language, eye contact, and emotion in a way that text messaging just cannot. Misinterpretation doesn’t just happen through text with an argument but also with regular conversations. Like if a girl gives a guy her number who is interested in texting. If she never met him it is no way she would know that this guy could like her. She would call it being nice, and he might think she’s flirting. Now that could cause an awkward situation if she decides to meet him, because he perceived that he had a chance with her. Situations such as this cause issues which I will be referring to as they gray zone.
The gray zone is situations teens get into through social media that cause conflict within friendships/ relationships. People know they do these things but don’t admit it. It’s weird but people use social media for background checks for their own information on a person. They are able to learn so much about a person from the internet now that it’s crazy. Just by searching their profiles, finding all kind of personal content. It’s referred to as lurking. Lurking is reading on an internet message board (comments and likes) or chatrooms without making ant contribution oneself; in other words, spying on people online; while remaining invisible. Lurking is a sign to trust issues. Once trust is an issue in a friendship/relationship it causes conflict. When a person goes looking for answers they usually find them. Confronting a person puts them on a defense mode because they question why you felt the need to lurk. A 2013 study also says the norm around privacy are changing and majority of teens post photos and personal information about themselves, for all their online contact to see; making things such as lurking easier.( Dakin, Pauline.)
If teens today have a problem with someone or an altercation they would rather talk it out in a text than talking on the phone or meeting up in person. One study shows that texting and using other types of instant messaging such as Facebook or email can actually hurt rather than help relationships. On a survey that was recently done among 70 Snow College students, it was shown that 89% of those surveyed have had an argument with a significant other through text messaging or Facebook. Although texting is a handy tool, it lacks tone, emotion, facial expressions, body language, and eye contact. It is likely that the message can cause misinterpretation, misunderstanding, and even deception.
The word ‘whatever’ is commonly misinterpreted because it has more than one meaning. In the survey, 42% said that they had a relationship with a boyfriend/girlfriend end, or be seriously affected by an argument they had through texting. Among the 42%, nearly all of those who were surveyed said that the argument, had it been held in person, could have been resolved (Drayton Ball). Arguments can be resolved much easier if you just meet up in person rather than text. Face-to-face confrontation allows one to see body language, eye contact, and emotion in a way that text messaging just cannot. Misinterpretation doesn’t just happen through text with an argument but also with regular conversations. Like if a girl gives a guy her number who is interested in texting. If she never met him it is no way she would know that this guy could like her. She would call it being nice, and he might think she’s flirting. Now that could cause an awkward situation if she decides to meet him, because he perceived that he had a chance with her. Situations such as this cause issues which I will be referring to as they gray zone.
The gray zone is situations teens get into through social media that cause conflict within friendships/ relationships. People know they do these things but don’t admit it. It’s weird but people use social media for background checks for their own information on a person. They are able to learn so much about a person from the internet now that it’s crazy. Just by searching their profiles, finding all kind of personal content. It’s referred to as lurking. Lurking is reading on an internet message board (comments and likes) or chatrooms without making ant contribution oneself; in other words, spying on people online; while remaining invisible. Lurking is a sign to trust issues. Once trust is an issue in a friendship/relationship it causes conflict. When a person goes looking for answers they usually find them. Confronting a person puts them on a defense mode because they question why you felt the need to lurk. A 2013 study also says the norm around privacy are changing and majority of teens post photos and personal information about themselves, for all their online contact to see; making things such as lurking easier.( Dakin, Pauline.)