The Impact of Modern Technological Devices on the Communication Process and Our World

THE IMPACT OF MODERN TECHNOLOGICAL

DEVICES ON THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS AND OUR WORLD.

Prepared for

Larry Ellis

BU 193

Prepared by

Karmen Sanders

Student

December 10, 2013

CONTENTS

PAGE

History…………………………………………………………………………………………..3

Technology Today………………………………………………………………………………3

The Communication Process……………………………………………………………………4

Smart Phones…………………………………………………………………………………....4

The Internet……………………………………………………………………………………..6

Email……………………………………………………………………………………………7

Face-to-Face…………………………………………………………………………………….8

Reference………………………………………………………………………………………..9

History

For the past couple of decades technology has changed the way people communicate. An overview of the evolution of technology and communication channels, demonstrates this.  Cave drawings were replaced by oral story telling. Story telling was replaced by written language. Technology gave us the telegraph, which was replaced by the telephone (and now cell phones). Computers and the internet have replaced typewriters, phone books, dictionaries and more. A messenger on a horse was eventually replaced by the United States Postal Service. E-mail has not replaced the USPS, but it has definitely taken over a huge amount of their business. Someone, somewhere is always creating the next best thing.

Technology Today

“Cell phones, email and the internet top the list of preferred communication methods” (Orth, 2013) that are used today. These are the most common technological devices impacting the world as we know it. “In the past people used technology as a tool for making survival an easier endeavor. Nowadays we are witnessing a shift in the role technology is playing in our society and may continue to play for generations to come. In the modern-day world technology is no longer a tool for survival but it turned to a means of communication and entertainment” (Olson, 12). In the past a telegraph was used to notify family if a soldier was fallen and mainly for military communications. The early telephone was used as a way to gather information quickly or for emergency purposes. The telephone began evolving and started to be used for more casual conversations and gossip. It started to be used for entertainment. Computers and the internet have become another form of entertainment. Entertainment can still be communication and before we can understand the impact of technology on communication, we must first have a good understanding of the communication process itself.

The Communication Process

According to Business Communication Today, the communication process consists of eight steps;

1. Sender has an idea
2. Sender encodes the idea in a message
3. Sender produces the message in a medium
4. Sender transmits message through a channel
5. Audience receives the message
6. Audience decodes the message
7. Audience responds to the message
8. Audience provides feedback to the sender
9. A simple text message can become very distorted, due to noise.

“Effective communication takes place when a sender's message is fully understood by the receiver.” (Nordquist, 2013). “The communication process model operates in an environment that includes the sender, the message, the receiver, feedback, and communication barriers” (Krizan, Merrier, Logan, & Williams, 2011)

For there to be successful communication there has to be a sent message with understanding and feedback from the receiver. How are cell phones, the internet and email impacting the communication process and our lives?

Smart Phones

Phone booths are almost absolute. Phones in people’s homes are too. A cell phone is carried by almost everyone.  “Today, out of the seven billion people in the world, approximately six billion are cell phone subscribers” (Tsao, 2013)  Callers no longer need to be home to call a friend and the friend does not need to be home either! You can be in a waiting room, a public restroom, a restaurant, grocery shopping or even a different state and be on your phone.  The cell phone evolved also, now we have Smart Phones. Our cell phones are no longer just for talking on, they are mini computers.  You can get on the internet, a word processor, play games, and send memos (text messages), email, take pictures and so much more all via your cell phone.

The benefits of these phones is ease, convenience and speed. Our ever so busy lives are made so much easier by the ability to communication with someone at any time and any place. I can check my school board email from my phone while at the same exact moment be talking on that same phone. A person can carry their phone and leave the camera at home. They can leave their laptop at home. Their smart phone will allow them to take pictures, type papers and surf the web. If someone is stuck in line at the doctor’s office they can just get on their phone and pay bills, check their calendar, or chat with friends to make the time go by.

Besides the positive impact the cell phone has on our lives there is also a negative side. It allows people to be lazy and rude. It changes personal-ness and meaning of sent messages. People cannot get away from technology. It is creating lazy and rude people.  If someone is outside and need a person to come out from the house, they no longer need to go to the door, they can just text them to come out. When a family sits down to dinner they no longer have only each other to communicate with. They all set at the table with a device in front of them allowing them to talk to the people they would rather be with at that time. The most aggravating is when you take the time to actually go visit a friend and while you are visiting they keep texting someone else from their phone. It is extremely rude. Technology is taking away peoples polite social skills and appreciation of the people actually in the room with them.

The sender needs to ensure that they type their text in a way that shows their true intent if the message is to be received correctly. It is hard with text messages for a receiver to decipher the emotion in the written words. There are no facial expressions or body language cues for the receiver to pick up on. Misspellings and shorthand are common happenings in a text message. These errors can alter the meaning of the sender’s message. If the meaning is altered, effective communication does not take place.

The Internet

The internet, as the cell phone, brings us ease, convenience and speed. The internet has replaced encyclopedias, phone books, cook books, classrooms, poker tables and much more.

Communication with relatives and friends is made easier. They can see your pictures and messages that you post or send instantly, from anywhere in the world. A person can check their bank account and make sure all daily transactions were actually made by themselves. A person can even work from home and make their living by doing all business duties online.