Television and social media impact on society, children, and adolescents

As technology grows everyday, so does our fascination with what it can do. Technology is amazing and can be very useful in so many ways. It helps people communicate, transfer information, learn, discover, and even save lives in the medical field. For me, the most important uses of the technology I use is my online classes and my cell phone. Technology in transferred in different ways. Technology can be great until the media that comes with it surfaces. For example, besides for mostly school purposes, I am usually on my cell phone instead of my laptop. I have the internet on my cell phone which allows me to have apps, e-mail, and access to websites. Also, I have to admit that I do enjoy watching television. What we see on these outlets of communication and media is often negative. The time and importance we have on these forums and devices is also detrimental to our lives outside of the virtual world.

Sure there is a lot of unhealthy and negative content on the internet, social media, and television, but it is also about how much time and energy we lack in other areas of our lives because of it. Television for example not only causes children to see inappropriate shows and commercials, but it also influences their health. They are more likely to spend less time playing outside or even just spending quality time with family (2003). They are also more likely to want what they see advertised such as unhealthy snacks. The media on any platform can also send out messages to impressionable adolescents that you need to be thin, rich, and “hot” which emphasizes that goals in life should be about good looks and materialistic gain.

Social media is another forum that impacts society. There are many recent stories of online bullying, among teens especially. It has also become a form of bragging or competition almost. Who has the most followers or virtual “friends”, who did something better than someone else, who looks good, who has the nice clothes or car, these are all influences on people engaging in social media these days. In my opinion, there are two very good things that I appreciate about social media. The fact that it keeps me in touch with my family that lives far away is one. It allows us to keep up with each others’ lives and share pictures. The other thing is being able to view informative web pages from, for example, psychology magazines, art pages, or music stations. Another big impact social media has had on society as a whole is that it has taken away from the value, willingness, and desire to communicate and interact in person instead of online or through a cell phone, if possible (2003).

Many times if a person does not live far from another, they still only communicate through social media even though they live close by. Most of the time, the communication doesn’t even exist through a phone call at least, which is still not in person but better than through a text or social media. I believe that overuse of communication through the internet or social media reduces a person’s social skills in face to face contacts. This lack of social and people skills, as some may call it, can lead to an anti-social lifestyle or personality. These types of people can develop social anxiety when they are around groups of people, especially those they do not know. One study in particular found that online social communication skills and self-esteem are correlated. This indicates a link between the strength of offline relationships and time spent online (Jacobsen & Forste, 2011). Some may argue that social media sites can help people that have preexisting social anxiety and low self-esteem, however the weak ties that are formed between many people on social media are not necessarily basis for good relationships and progressive social interaction. Websites such as Facebook favor those who have close relationships by suggesting friends, tagging photos, asking family and relationship questions, and so on, which may cause others who are already feeling low self-esteem or social anxiety who don’t have as many friends to become more introverted. Also, people with low self-esteem may express themselves in ways that are not liked by others whether it is sadness, anger, or overcompensation to be liked, which can make them less likely to make new friends (Forest & Wood, 2012).

Social anxiety is one among other negative psychological and physical health issues that social media and television can cause. Not only because of the content that is provided but also the habits that we form and the time and energy we put into such media outlets.

References
Impact of media use on children and youth. (2003). Pulsus: Paediactrics & Child Health, 8(5), 301-306. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2792691/

Jacobsen, W. C., & Forste, R. (2011). The wired generation: Academic and social outcomes of electronic media use among university students. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, 275–280.

Forest, A. L. & Wood, J.V. (2011). When social networking is not working: Individuals with low self-esteem recognize but do not reap the benefits of self-disclosure on Facebook. Psychological Science, 23, 295–302.

Leave a Reply


Skip to toolbar