At present, the development of technology is so widespread that people use it almost in every sphere of their lives. Communication is one of the areas where modern devices and the Internet have become important instruments. Different interactions have appeared recently including, e-mails, instant messaging, cell phone calls, video chats among others. Some people believe that it helps develop relationships, communicate with those who are far away. On the other hand, online communication has certain limits and can be harmful sometimes. Computer communication influences people’s relationships and life in general since it has numerous benefits.
Online communication has many advantages, which make it an essential part of the modern world. The first and probably the most significant benefit is a lack of borders. People can interact with each other being in a different places in the world. Cell phones, skype, zoom, and other programs are all designed to ruin the borderlines between countries and cultures. Moreover, an individual can hear and see the other person, which brings communication to a new level. This type of communication is close to face-to-face interaction because one can see emotions and react immediately.
Another benefit of online communication is those shy people or those with certain conditions can find friends and develop interpersonal skills. Forums, social networks, and messengers are vital tools due to which people can interact with each other and stop conversations whenever they start to feel uncomfortable. Social medial and similar instruments help filter what one wants to see and the people one wants to talk to. Therefore, online communication is handy for those who have issues with face-to-face conversations.
On the other hand, there are some disadvantages of computer interaction, such as technological limits, online bullying, difficulties with the development of meaningful relationships. Even though online communication destroys borders between countries, some states ban certain messengers and social media, for example, China has blocked WhatsApp. As for interpersonal challenges, sometimes computer communication can prevent people from developing interpersonal skills. When a person texts or makes a recording, they try to do it fast and use short structures, abbreviations, or emoticons. Thus, the standard level of literacy is decreasing, and it influences the level of education. Moreover, some people can find it challenging to express emotions offline. They became accustomed to using emojis or gifs to reflect their attitude to the situation. As a result, new technology simplifies communication and limits the ways to express emotions and moods.
Another drawback of online communication is uncontrolled bullying. The Internet helps people stay anonymous and spread rumors, threats, and spam letters. It has a negative effect on children and teenagers who do not know how to handle such problems. Some of them can ask adults for help but some take this bullying personally; thus, it influences their future behavior in building relationships with others. This problem is widespread, and young students need to be protected and explained how to act if they face such situations. Thus, there are some serious issues connected with gossip that negatively affect children’s and teenagers’ psychological states.
Computer communication has excellent development opportunities currently. It ties people, cultures, and countries, helps them interact with each other without any borders or limits. Although this type of communication has negative effects, such as bullying or technological progress, it is still one of the outstanding scientific achievements. Proper use of these new interaction tools can help develop interpersonal skills and advance them to a new level.
Reference
Wardynski, D. J. (2019). What Are the Effects of Technology on Human Interaction? BRAINSPIRE. Web.