Assignment 6

SOCIAL MEDIA EFFECTS ON CHILDREN'S COMMUNICATION SKILLS 1

SOCIAL MEDIA EFFECTS ON CHILDREN'S COMMUNICATION SKILLS 2

Social Media Effects on Children's Communication Skills

Tyran Hunt

COMM604

May 4, 2022

There is a constant online connection for today's children and teenagers. We may use technology and social media to communicate with one another in a beneficial way. But they also pose a threat because of the harm they can do to young minds. For the sake of their own well-being and that of their future generations, it is critical that we teach children and adolescents how to strike a healthy balance between screen time and technology use.

It's a game-changer in terms of how we communicate now. When we use social media, we may connect with old and new friends, share our thoughts, ideas and material, cooperate with others, learn about other cultures, spread news and remain up to date on current trends and advancements (Dyer, 2018). Comment by Thomas Socha: What iis?

According to an online survey, more than half of kids who had positive encounters on social media claimed that they felt better about themselves as a result. Comment by Thomas Socha: Which on line survey? Why a one sentence paragraph?

With pressure to be accepted by the group, technology has made it even more difficult for teenagers to fit in with their friends. When it comes to online self-portraits, most people focus on the good aspects of their lives, such as attending social gatherings and achieving personal goals (Abbas, 2019). No one seems to pay attention to the difficulties that plague us all. Because of this, kids are more likely to feel isolated from their peers as they scan through a seemingly ideal newsfeed. Our latest generation of children are constantly looking at the "ins" and "outs". They expect fast satisfaction, and you can give it to them with just a few taps of your finger. They're also always monitoring what's hot and trendy. Some children are completely unaffected by this. Because they are confident in their identity and body image, they are able to see that only a small number of individuals are able to afford these extravagant lifestyles (Chen, 2019). Then again, there are a lot of students who believe that they must satisfy these unattainable standards in order to be accepted. As a result, girls are disproportionately impacted, owing to their propensity to use many social media platforms. Comment by Thomas Socha: Huh? How so? This makes little sense. Comment by Thomas Socha: You are skipping around here? What’ the thesis statement of the paper? Comment by Thomas Socha: What are you talking about? Comment by Thomas Socha: Ambiguous antecedent Comment by Thomas Socha: I don’t know what this sentence means Comment by Thomas Socha: To what does “this” refer? Comment by Thomas Socha: You have yet to tell the reader what this paper is about?

Literature Rreview

The loss of social abilities. There is less face-to-face interaction if you spend more time on the computer. Interacting with peers is more than just a verbal exchange. Reading body language and understanding verbal tone are also part of the process. When people rely on social media or texting to stay in touch, they can become isolated and fail to develop the social skills they will need in the real world. Cyber bullying and a lack of social skills have a symbiotic relationship. Bullying goes up a notch when you can talk to each other at the press of a button. Those who are socially excluded or targeted may suffer serious effects as a result of rumors being circulated about them online with little effort and the opportunity to remain hidden behind a screen. The majority of the time, they feel humiliated or as though their reputation has been damaged. Suicide may result in the worst-case scenario (Keles, 2020). Face-to-face communication is becoming increasingly rare due to the prevalence of online communication. To send a message without knowing how the recipient would respond is really easy, which either poses a hazard for kids trying to decipher something or offers them a weapon for bullying, if that's their aim. Comment by Thomas Socha: This is not a complete sentence. Comment by Thomas Socha: You are wandering and skipping through lots of separate ideas in a single paragraph without direction. I have no idea where you are going with this string or why? And there are no cites od evidence. Comment by Thomas Socha: Huh? Comment by Thomas Socha: Huh? Evidence for this crazy claim?

When a child acquires a cell phone, they begin to communicate with others through the use of a computer or tablet. As a result, kids aren't experimenting with socializing for six to nine hours a day.

There was a time in the past when teens had to choose between talking on the phone and hanging out in person. In spite of the fact that these encounters appeared pointless, Rachel Ehmke at the Childmind Institute argues that they were actually beneficial and important for learning how to speak.

In other words, social media is causing communication issues among today's youth since they aren't participating in the kinds of hands-on learning activities that older generations enjoyed.

Humans get immediate feedback when they talk in simple communication. People's reactions tell them immediately whether or not what they said was well-received, rude, hilarious, or puzzling. In the realm of texting and emailing, on the other hand, one can take their time before responding. When it comes to texting, children say and do things that you would never think of saying to someone's face. This is especially true for females, who rarely quarrel with each other in person.

Despite the fact that social media helps us stay connected, it also teaches our children some horrible communication skills when we rely on it for that purpose. It's a place where people may brag about their accomplishments and pass judgment on others. When we communicate via these mediums, our listening skills deteriorate and our humility plummets.

Social media use has been shown in studies to interfere with face-to-face contact and interaction. Weak ties are forming between youth and those who agree with us, even though they are connecting more. Teenagers who use the internet to meet new people and keep in touch have a false sense of belonging. These links are weak, missing the depth of face-to-face meetings, if they can't be communicated in real time.

Meeting in person allows us to gain a variety of new abilities. We may learn a lot about how an engagement is going by seeing how other people react, feel, and convey nonverbal indications. We learn to pivot or ask for clarification if someone is plainly uncomfortable with the last thing we say. We can tell whether someone is frightened by the way they bite their lip. Because it encourages introspection, it's a good idea to leave a conversation with a few unanswered questions.

Peer groups aren't the only ones affected by social media's impact on communication. When it comes to having face-to-face interactions, many teenagers nowadays are unprepared. Respect, confidence, and overall awareness of good etiquette are all lacking in this area of the country. Disrespecting the adults in the room by ignoring them is a common occurrence among teenagers. For many kids, it is difficult to speak in front of groups, approach teachers with questions, or even chat with their parents because of the lack of face-to-face communication. One of my colleagues, who is in charge of hiring interns, brought this up just the other day. When he saw that the interviewees were twenty-year-olds who were reluctant to speak up, he was surprised to realize that social media behavior was happening in real time. The ones who stood out were the ones who were able to maintain eye contact with the other party.

Children's brains are still developing at this period of their lives. Adolescence is a critical time for adolescents to develop the social skills they'll need in adulthood. They won't be able to practice their communication skills in person if they only learn how to speak online.

Research Questions / Purposes

How do social media affect social skills of a child?

What are the negative effects of social media on children?

There are several benefits to using social media in conjunction with developed communication skills. Using it, we are able to connect, share, and communicate with individuals around the world. Teens who have mastered the art of interpersonal communication and social media etiquette will be better equipped to maintain their relationships both in person and online.

This will boost their self-esteem and allow the teenager to develop body language, eye contact, and respect through regular conversation. It's not only about talking; it's also important to pay attention to what the other person is saying. Show your teen how to listen well by giving them your undivided attention when you're talking to them. When it comes to developing social skills and making new friends, social media is a great supplement.

However, it doesn't mean that today's generation is doomed to fail because of their upbringing in a completely different world from our own. All of us are becoming accustomed to the constant opportunities for both connection and distraction provided by the digital world. As a result, parents must serve as role models for their children in terms of effective communication. Enforce limitations and keep in mind that one is their most influential role model to offset the challenges of communication caused by the use of social media platforms.

Methods

This section aims to explain the analytical framework used to analyze the technical advances in media and communication on Facebook in great depth. Accordingly, this part provides a brief review of the most relevant and appropriate design and strategy. Here you'll learn about the methodology being discussed, why some approaches were chosen over others, and what instrument was utilized to gather data.

For this study, the researcher employed a qualitative research design. According to the research approach used, the researcher was able to analyze interview data and connect it to literature findings (Mertens, 2019). This method allows for a complete understanding of the study question. Initially, the researcher watched and enquired about the research issue in order to commence this investigation. As a result of the study's questions and aims, additional research is now being conducted. This study uses an inductive research approach to generate a new hypothesis based on the data. This technique offered the reasoning and evidence necessary to conclude the investigation in the desired direction.

This investigation is based on an interview and a review of relevant literature. Combining these two study methods has allowed us to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the issue (Ledford, 2018). With the help of qualitative data analysis, a substantial amount of information was gathered. Both primary and secondary data could be used to correctly understand the findings when employing these methodologies. It has helped establish a relationship between prior findings and the conclusions of the current investigation.. Qualitative data analysis is used to analyze the research results following data collection and processing. In order to arrive at conclusions and provide recommendations, data analysis is employed. As a result, the study's overall framework remains consistent with its research aims. Comment by Thomas Socha: This is not a method.

In research, the collection of data is essential, and no study is complete without it. This necessitates a close examination of the study strategy employed by the investigator. However, keeping an eye on this measure helps to ensure that the investigation is carried out to its furthest extent possible. Researchers frequently use primary and secondary data collection methods. Choosing a study method is based on the need to examine the advantages and disadvantages of Facebook. This study uses both primary and secondary data collection methods. Primary data is gathered through interviews, whereas secondary data is gathered through literature research.

Conclusion

The usage of phones should be limited to times when one is alone in order to keep oneself engaged when one has nothing else to do. According to the survey, one-third (34 percent) feel that using social media frequently detracts from the people they are with when they are together in person, and 44 percent agree that using social media frequently detracts from the people they are with when they are together in person (Choi, 2018).

When you're around other people, it's preferable to put the phone down and engage in conversation with those who are around you instead (Scassellati, 2018). People's in-person communication habits are influenced by how they interact with one another on social media platforms. Because they are able to see and hear each other, face-to-face discussion allows people to gain a deeper understanding of each other's views and feelings.

References Comment by Thomas Socha: Not following APA

Dyer, T. (2018). The effects of social media on children. Dalhousie Journal of Interdisciplinary Management, 14.

Abbas, J., Aman, J., Nurunnabi, M., & Bano, S. (2019). The impact of social media on learning behavior for sustainable education: Evidence of students from selected universities in Pakistan. Sustainability, 11(6), 1683.

Chen, J., Lin, T. J., Justice, L., & Sawyer, B. (2019). The social networks of children with and without disabilities in early childhood special education classrooms. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 49(7), 2779-2794.

Keles, B., McCrae, N., & Grealish, A. (2020). A systematic review: the influence of social media on depression, anxiety and psychological distress in adolescents. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 79-93.

Choi, G. Y., & Lewallen, J. (2018). “Say Instagram, kids!”: Examining sharenting and children's digital representations on Instagram. Howard Journal of Communications, 29(2), 144-164.

Scassellati, B., Boccanfuso, L., Huang, C. M., Mademtzi, M., Qin, M., Salomons, N., ... & Shic, F. (2018). Improving social skills in children with ASD using a long-term, in-home social robot. Science Robotics, 3(21), eaat7544.

Ledford, J. R., & Gast, D. L. (Eds.). (2018). Single case research methodology. New York, NY: Routledge.

Mertens, D. M. (2019). Research and evaluation in education and psychology: Integrating diversity with quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. Sage publications.