In its simplest form, the model of the communication process is rather basic: there is a sender and a receiver, a message channel, and an idea being sent through the channel.  During the encoding and decoding process, there are call-outs where noise can enter into the process and cause errors. Overall, this simplistic idea of communication is a great starting point but, in today’s technological environment, no longer represents the various forms of available communication and the amount of activity impacting those messages.  In fact, very few messages that are sent today are as simple as this model describes.

In today’s world of technology, humankind is moving away from the basic method of communication and into a world where communication is rapidly becoming virtual. This shift in the paradigm of society has its benefits as well as its drawbacks, which we will briefly discuss an example of each.

With modern technology, the world around us has become a digital wonderland. While most of us grew up with just a “home phone”, today we feel lost if our phone is not within reach. It’s the first thing we look at each morning and the last thing we check at night. We are texting, Tweeting, FaceBooking, Instagramming throughout our days, and most of that has nothing to do with work. In the office, we have seen our face-to-face communications be replaced with emails, instant messages and Slack channels. These digital channels have made communication easier, removing barriers that once existed like looking for an old friend or trying to meet someone new. (Techspirited, 2018) Those things are no longer difficult to do with modern technology!

While our virtual selves are enjoying the champagne, our interpersonal selves are picking up the check. As we move more and more into a digital age of communication, we see younger generations that lack interpersonal skills like showing emotion and speaking face-to-face. (Techspirited, 2018) As a result, when people are communicating in person, they are losing their abilities to interpret non-verbal gestures from others. (Techspirited, 2018)  We also see the dependence on digital communication impacting the relationships in families. Children who are always texting with their friends aren’t spending as much time with parents or siblings, which is creating an even larger relationship gap over time. (Techspirited, 2018)

There is a way to reap the rewards of this digital age while maintaining your social and personal abilities, but the key is balance. Make sure that you are taking time to “unplug” and spend time with friends and family. As parents, ensure that your kids have some downtime from the devices and texting. We should all find that happy medium between the digital space and our here and now.

 

 

References

Techspirited. (2018, Januaty 31). An Overview of the Overall Impact of Technology on Communication. Retrieved from techspirited.com: https://techspirited.com/impact-of-technology-on-communication