Social Interaction Essay

Sufficient and meaningful social interaction between people is a key factor in the well-being of a society; however, issues often arise that stymie how well people interact with each other. In the modern-day, some of the primary sources of these issues stem from the effects of computing, or “smart,” devices. These devices allow access to social networking platforms, forms of communication like texting, and a plethora of sources of entertainment. This access gives way to issues such as cyberbullying, social isolation (individuals becoming too immersed in their devices to desire interaction with others), and a decrease in social skills. Such problems will continue to harm society, as they have been since the creation of these devices. These harmful

It may be due to a desire to avoid an awkward situation or to avoid social interaction altogether. A common way teens may isolate themselves is by immersing themselves within their phone. Emanuel, along with his various colleagues at Alabama State University, conducted a survey of students about their smartphone usage. Of the 404 students within the random sample size, more than half claimed that they used their phone as a way of escaping from problems or relieving a bad mood (Emanuel). It is presumable that uncomfortable attitudes towards a social situation are included in these problems. Simply avoiding the situation should not be the solution, but rather confronting it and being accustomed to these circumstances. Heid, writing for Time Magazine (A news magazine that has been around since 1923), brings in Brian Primack’s (Director of the University of PIttsburgh’s Center for Research on Media, Technology, and Health) belief that humans are innately social and how that was a large factor in our species’ survival. (Heid) With smartphones weakening the social skills people possess, it brings up a red flag in our