blog post #5

My big question is how does technology affect our relationships? This big topic question is vital for others in our community on a global level because we will learn how much technology is sufficient for our relationships with others. I want to help others thrive in this technology-based world. Healthy communication in our relationships may prevent global problems such as wars, poverty, fights and pollution. We will never be able to live without technology, so why not use it for our benefit?

Sub-topic: What are the negative and positive sides of using technology to support our relationships? This question will open my knowledge on if we should use technology in our relationships. For example, if 90% of the effects of technology on our technology is harmful, we will learn that we should limit ourselves to using technology as our source of communication.

There are many positive sides to technology that are used to support our relationships (1).  It helps us stay in contact when we are physically unable to meet each other (1). For example, many couples decide to stay in a long-distance relationship (1). This is because they chose to use social media in a positive way (1). Technology also has a great anonymous aspect where we are braver to initiate conversations, we never thought we would do in person (1). It is an easier way to truly communicate without the fear of rejection or embarrassment (1). We also use social media to share our ideas and stories (1). For example, we post pictures on Instagram to share our experiences (2). This will help us stay connected with others throughout our day (3). It is truly up to us to use technology in a positive or negative way (4).

However, there are also negative aspects of using technology to carry our relationships(5). 70% of 631 parents think that technology interrupts their family time (5). This shows that we need to limit our technology for our family quality time (6). Furthermore, it is important to know more about the effects of technology because around 25% of 631 adults wish they knew more about technology affecting their relationships (6). However, we need to see the change in ourselves too. Only 53% of 631 students think they are on their phones too much. However, 59% of 631 adults believe their partner spends too much time on their device(6).

In conclusion, technology is a great alternative to support our relationships (7). However, it is better to communicate in person to truly get to know each other (7). Some ways to do this are using a screen-time limit on our phones, to remind us to limit our screen time (7). Another way is to purposely leave our phones away for a day, to realize how attached we are to our phones (7). Also, it is important to follow through and have the desire to improve our relationships with others (7).

1. University, Utah State. “New Study Shows Impact of Technology on Relationships.” Utah State Today, 18 Nov. 2019, https://www.usu.edu/today/story/new-study-shows-impact-of-technology-on-relationships.
2. Using Communication Technology to Improve Relationships | Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/conscious-communication/201808/using-communication-technology-improve-relationships. Accessed 27 May 2023.
3. https://online.ucpress.edu/gp/article/2/1/27353/118411/How-Is-Technology-Changing-the-World-and-How. Accessed 27 May 2023
4. “What Are the Negative and Positive Effects of Technology?” Healthline, 23 May 2019, https://www.healthline.com/health/negative-effects-of-technology.
5. “Is Social Media Toxic or Healthy for Relationships?” Psych Central, 17 May 2016, https://psychcentral.com/relationships/social-medias-impact-on-relationships.
6. “How Social Media Affects Our Wellbeing.” Cornell Research, 11 May 2016, https://research.cornell.edu/news-features/how-social-media-affects-our-wellbeing.
7. Negative Effects of Technology: Psychological, Social, and Health. 25 Feb. 2020, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/negative-effects-of-technology.