Communication modes amongst teenagers and

1COMMUNICATION AMONGST TEENAGERS

Communication Modes amongst Teenagers andIt’s Impact on Their Lives

Bagri Megha , Vatsala , Garima , Namrata

Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University For Woman

Kashmere Gate, Delhi

Author Note

Bagri Megha, Vatsala, Garima, Namrata, Department of Information Technology, Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University For Women.

This research paper is a part of the project given to us in our second semester.

Contact: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


Abstract

This paper explores the types, modes and impacts of communication in the life

teenagers. The relations which they develop online (internet) and offline (non- internet) are

explained in this research. Many researches have been conducted on increasing influence of

technology in teenagers lives. It is observed that the teenagers who used technological

communication or preferred it to face to face more frequently have lower social skills and high

social anxiety. Women are expected to be more socially active then men. Non verbal

communication is detoriating as computer meditated communication(CNC) does not gives a

chance to the teenagers to develop these skill and intract face to face. Mobile are giving an

opportunity for teenager to access intenet anywhere any point of time and have become an

integral part of our lives. Many social networking sites have been developed and successfully

runned which target this age group. Still face to face to communication is more considered to

solve issues amongst them. Texting and use of social networking sites may have become a

chief mode of communication amongst the youth yet it lacks a humane touch and does not give

a chance for our overall development. All these points are touched and explored deeply in this research paper.

Keywords: technology, computer meditated communication, internet prefernce


Communication Modes amongst Teenagers and

It’s Impact on Their Lives

It has been long time from the era when messages took months to be deliver to the

desired person. Human is the most developed creation of God. It always tries to built methods

and technologies which can facilitate and make its world a better place to live. We began to

interact with each other through graphical representation whose samples are still concrete on

Walls of many monuments around the world. As we evolved from our ancestors the same our

method to communicate evolved. To communicate what we feel to understand what others

are feeling is one the basic human nature. Human is a social animal. When a group of people

sit together they cannot stay quite they always start to chit chat even if they are strangers even

though they talk silly but they talk. Communication is a basic human nature. Its imbibed in

us.

Every day in every culture, humans communicate to exchange information. The

word communication stems from the Latin word “communis,” meaning “to share,” and, yet in

the modern world, this word also refers to electronic, verbal, and non-verbal means of

communication (MerriamWebster.com, 2012). For centuries, messages were transported by

carriers or messengers by foot, horse, coach, or boat. The messenger, or the middleman, was

a vital component in the transmission of a message between two people. These modes of

commination were not reliable and time demanding. Since then we have been evolving new

ways to communicate. In 900 BC the first postal service was created in China to be used by

the government. By 200 BC this type of communication had spread to Egypt. In 1825, when

William Sturgeon created a device that became the basis for all large-scale electronic

communication, the postal service method of communication was challenged (Adib, 2003).

This device, the electromagnet, created a magnetic field that produced the flow of an electric

current, and Joseph Henry proved five years later that this current could be sent over one mile

of wire to strike a bell, leading to the creation of the electric telegraph, the first device used


for long distance communication (Adib, 2003). Samuel Morse took this type of

telecommunication to the next level, creating Trans-Atlantic telecommunication for the first

time in 1866 with the use of a logging device that recorded messages to paper tape.

Ten years later, Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray began the race to the creation of the

telephone, each creating his own device to electrically transmit speech. Initially, the creation

of the telephone was purely a scientific attempt to replace the telegraph. However, by 1878

the telephone had caught on as an elite form of communication, and its popularity led to the

creation of the first commercial telephone company. Businessmen began making use of the

product in order to communicate between floors of American skyscraper buildings. As

technology continued to improve in the field of telecommunication, telephones became

cheaper and landlines were installed in middle class family homes. By the 1970s, over 100

million people worldwide used a landline telephone. In 2006, landline use reached its peak,

with 20 landline telephones for every 100 people in the world. Yet, as soon as this peak was

reached, it began to fall rapidly, challenged by the creation and popularity of the cell phone

(Belhueur, 2011).

In 1973, Martin Cooper created the first mobile phone for Motorola. Not only did this

invention enable two communicating individuals to talk without standing in the same location

as each other, but the cell phone also gave both the freedom to communicate from any

location they desired. In 1987, 13 European countries agreed to sign on to develop and

deploy a common mobile telephone system across Europe, creating, as a result, Groupe


Spécial Mobile (GSM) a “unified, open, standard-based mobile network” larger than the

network in the United States (Naughton, 2012). This contract signing initiated a monumental

rise in popularity and usage of the cell phone. With its small size and mobility, the cell phone

became the most unobtrusive and convenient means of communication.

In the use of mobile phones where the connection is ‘direct’. Hence, mobile phones are more

personal as they directly connect the call sender and the call receiver. In addition, mobile

phones have the added feature of being able to be switched off which gives freedom and

convenience to the mobile phone call receiver who can filter calls. This facility of identifying

the caller even before picking up the phone.

The European mobile network, GSM, was the first to develop the idea of texting as a way of

Transporting messages across channels without sound. The only drawback of this method

was the text limit of 160 characters to a message. This form of communication, called SMS

(short message), was included in the GSM system from the beginning, however it didn’t

catch on until around 1996 when pay-as-you-go phones were created. This brought a

revolution in the way of communication of teenagers. Cellular phone became more prominent

in the hands of teenagers. Texting started becoming embedded in our lives. It became a

symbol of social status among college students. Not only amongst teenagers but also the

professionals welcomed this change. Text messages were being sent as reminder, indicator,

and invitation etc. though the language they used might be a little formal and sophisticated.

When texting came as a revolution people invented a new way to communicate instant

messaging where e-mail provided you a reply in few hours or days instant messaging


shortened this time lag as well. Entrepreneurs began to target this addiction of teenagers

“texting”. Few of the many examples are Yahoo messenger, AIM, ICQ (I Seek You) in the

beginning when they were very much accepted others also followed the trend and latter we

got Google chats, Facebook, Twitter, messenger, Hike, Instagram and many more. Teenagers

was the age group found to be most affected with this revolution.

Social networking did not truly come into the market until 2002 with the creation of

Friendster, a network based on a degree of separation concept that promoted the idea that

richly connected online communities can exist between people. After one year, Friendster

already had three million users. The immediate popularity of Friendster sparked the creation

of tens of other social networking sites, including Myspace (2003), LinkedIn (2003), and

Facebook (2004) that continue to be popular today. Today, social networking is the most

popular online activity. It provides us a constant audience to have eye of our whereabouts. .

For teenagers, owning a mobile phone is the first step to gaining independence from parents

and teachers (Tutt, 2005).

Gone are days when it was thought that telephone are just meant for business for which was

Actually developed and not for social interactions. The growth of mobile phone technology is

Demonstrated by the fact that in 2002 the number of mobile phone users worldwide,

surpassed those of fixed-phone users (Srivastava, 2005). People around the globe accepted it

because light and handy nature as its name suggest “mobile”. The mobile phone had been in

existence for about a decade before young people really adopted this technology. The


reduction in the cost of the handsets, their smaller size and the introduction of the pre-paid

phone card in the 1990’s contributed to the surprisingly rapid adoption rate by young people.

Adolescence is the age group affected by it the most. Adolescents are now more likely to own

and use a mobile phone than their parents. The mobile phone is a status symbol for young

people. The features of the phone, the appearance and personalized accessories all attest to

the phone’s status, with sixty percent of adolescents reporting they were keen to upgrade their

mobile phone (Netsafe, 2005).

It is seen as a fashion accessory that satisfies the need for individualization by having choices

in mobile wallpaper, ring tones, phone covers, carry bags and other accessories (Srivastava,

2005). With the growing number of gadgets embedded in modern mobile phones (particularly

3G and 4G phones ) such as the MP3, Internet, Camera (still and video), TV, and the

decrease in the size and the price of such devices, mobile phones have become omnipresent.

The internet has removed geographical boundaries and so have mobile phones that has

blurred the borders between public and private lives (Caronia & Caron, 2004, p. 122).

It is evident that the positive purposes of mobile phones have added tremendous comforts and

conveniences to our living. They are witnessed in every aspect of activities, for those who

possess them. With several advantages there are also some disadvantages too that accompany

the usage of mobile phones that are explored in this current study. The possibility to maintain

intense and informal social networks through mobile phones is the main force for teens to

stay connected with this device. It not only provides social interaction but also provides the

individual with a sense of self (Ling, 2004a). These changes have very much affected the

lives of teenagers, the largest mobile phone users. Now there personal space is not only


limited to their room but they want privacy on mobile phones as well. Even they cannot share

their mobile phone with their parents.

One of the concrete reason given by the parents about why their children possess mobile

phone is that it helps them to keep a check on them. Which upto an extent is true.

Adolescence is a time of transcending the family boundaries and generating more extensive

networks with peers. Mobile and social networking gives them a platform for it. The mobile

phone is given to the children by parents when they are first venturing outside of the home

alone or going to school. The issue of gender and safety does not seem to have been

considered in most research, with parents seemingly as concerned with the safety of both

male and female children (Ling & Helmersen, 2000). There appears to be an over reliance

however, on the use of the mobile phone as a source of protection for children. In an

Australian study, 68% of parents reported that as their child had a mobile phone, they knew

where they were at any time (Matthews, 2004). There was one parent however, who

acknowledged that this was only a perception. There needs to be trust in the parental child

relationship, in that the child will be truthful in reporting their location. This study also found

that 77% of parents reported at least one occasion when they needed to urgently contact their

child but were unable to do so. Conversely 37% of young people reported that they were

unable to contact their parents urgently mainly because they were out of credit (Matthews,

2004).

The safety issue is interesting as part of the double-edged sword that the impact of mobile

phones have on the family. While its use enables young people to extend their freedoms in

the family in relation to curfews and places where they are permitted to go, its use also


extends parents’ control and authority over their children. The mobile phone means thus both

enabling the child to call parents if they are in trouble but also provides a surveillance

capacity of parents phoning young people. This impact on the evolving relationship in the

family has been interpreted by some researchers as undermining the authority of parents.

Smart phone has altered the power in parent-child relationships in that peers can contact each

other without parental knowledge. Parents may not know who their child’s friends are,

because of lack of communication with them therefore, weakening parental control.

However, other researchers have interpreted the use of the mobile phone by parents as an

intrusion into young people’s lives. (Williams and Williams 2005) base their argument of

intrusion on claiming that the “relations between children and parents are increasingly

characterized by negotiation, replacing more conventional relationships and traditional ideas

of parental authority” (p.315). They argue that parents use the mobile phone to enter into

their children’s space and are thus able to socially influence their children and exert a certain

degree of control over them in a public space.

Keeping ‘tabs’ on their children is seen as parental intrusion both by talking on the mobile

phone and using text messages. Parents identify where their children are and often (by

texting) maintain an almost constant dialogue, similar to face-to-face conversation. Young

people however, have many ways to counteract their parent’s surveillance. They program

certain numbers to go to the message bank or block numbers, turn their phone off straight

away, or answer and pretend there is too much interference to hear (Ling & Helmersen,

2000). Conversely, the ability to directly communicate with their children allows parents

more freedom.

A reason given in the favour of their overindulgence is mobile phone allows helps them in

studying and researching on topics and substantial learning. Internet surfing is helpful in


studying. Even many teachers themselves suggest the use of internet of explore more. As it

has a more lasting impact then books. We can find many institutions running online trainings,

lecture videos etc. on many websites. However, along with these positive impacts, there are

negative aspects to young people’s phones use.

Like every other thing when done in excess starts impacting wrongly. Same is the case with

the usage of internet among teenagers. We see teenagers walking with their heads down.

They with their fingers than their mouth. Many researchers argue that as many young people

choose to text about awkward or emotionally difficult situations. Texting is a very useful way

of undertaking one’s social obligations to stay in touch without spending time or energy on

the encounter. Texting avoids awkward silences and having to make conversation. It enables

shy or reserved young people to communicate without embarrassing emotions while

encouraging candid or even cheeky text.

Social exclusions

It is oftenly reported that the non-mobile phone users are particularly vulnerable to social

exclusions. Adolescents who did not own a mobile phone reported feeling left out of social

interactions, and a third felt pressured sometimes by their friends to get one. However, the

majority of adolescents who owned mobile phones reported they respected young people who

decide that they do not need one. Perhaps, it suggests that people are not deliberately

cornered but are eventually excluded as they cannot be contacted easily. It ends up with the

demands to have a personal mobile phone by the teenagers.

Internet is so much negatively affecting our lives that it has led new words added to our


dictionary “netiquettes” one amongst them. It means the ethics we should have while

interacting with people online. Mobile phone also have modernized now just calling or

texting is not the only tasks performed with them it provide an easy and instant access to

internet, gaming, shopping, finding directions, booking cabs and many more. Advancing

information technology has revolutionalized our mobile phone and now popularly called

smart phones. However, this instant access is some or the other extent intervening in our

lives. Another negative aspect of these smart phones in young people’s mobile phone use is

to bully others. Bullying using technology, is a phenomena which children and adolescents

seem to be increasingly using to harm others. The consequences of face-to-face bullying

include increased levels of depression, anxiety, psychosomatic symptoms and even suicide.

The consequences of cyber bullying have the potential to be even more serious than face-to-

face bullying. When bullies abuse verbally, the victim may not remember every word, but

with texting the targeted student can read the message repeatedly. This could seem more

concrete and “real” than spoken words. There is also the 24/7 aspect of the mobile phone

which allows cyber bullying to occur at any time, day or night, with no escape. Anything just

done to gain momentary pleasure may effect someone’s life deeply. When teenagers spent

their most of the surfing, texting, sharing, commenting it is very much of importance that

they should have this much wisdom that what they are doing online is effecting people

around them. There one click may cost someone’s life and they should be accountable to

what they do online. Pictures, videos should may negatively affect someone should uploaded

for personal revenge. Though we have cyber police to keep a check on it but like a well-

known adage “prevention is better than cure” we should take preventive measures.


School and mobile phones

Impact of mobile phone in schools is rather contradicting. Parents who are working and

cannot spare time for their children have compulsion to give mobiles to contact their

children. Whereas, teachers are more concerned about discipline issues. Many school have

allowed students to bring cell phones with them due to parental concerns and restricted their

access during class but this rather a best case scenario. People seldom follow the instruction

given to them then how can we expect this things from adolescents, in age which is

specialized in breaking the rules. Students have been found and have been punished for using

cell phones during the class. This diverts their attention from studies rather playground school

canteen where students should be away from outside world and develop their personality they

are engaged in cell phones. Fixed telephones in schools allowed minimal disruption but with

their parent’s eagerness to maintain contact, the mobile phone is becoming part of the

classroom. Thus, the mobile phone has the power to undermine the schools’ authority and

weaken their control over students.

The main issue teacher’s face is the disruption to classroom learning as while texting, instant

Messaging students can send and receive messages without disturbing or letting anyone know

about it combining with the ease to hide the cell phone due to their small size makes it

difficult for the teacher to trace the student involved using it.

Another negative aspect of using mobiles by student is they become more reliant on their

parents as if they forget something at home they can instantly ring on them.


Students not use technology to communicate during class but also to cheat in exam. Earlier

student cheated via taking notes, writing on their hands etc. but now even cheating has

become more sophisticated and difficult to detect. Many cases have been report where

students were caught with cell phones hidden inside their shirts during the exams. Many other

innovative methodologies are developed to cheat using technology.

Mobile phone theft is also a matter of concern as students are not that careful about their

Belongings and are often victim of this. In most of the cases same age group is involved in

stealing their peer’s cell phones. This brings a negative impact on their personalities.

Moreover, this puts an additional stress on administration and leads to unnecessary wastage

of time. One of the few positive uses of the mobile phone in schools is texting parents when

students are absent from school. With many mobile phones now incorporating a digital

camera or video, there is a danger in schools that inappropriate pictures will be taken because

of the portability and discrete nature of the camera. Pictures can be taken quickly without the

knowledge of the person being photographed. This is matter acute concern students must be

aptly guided on these issues.

Parental and children conflict

Parental and children conflict about their internet exploring time is very common. Every

parents set limits to the usage of social networking, spending time online and often reported

that their parents used removal of their mobile phones as punishment. Teenagers found

texting under bed covers at nights and using their mobile phones as their alarm clock and

torch. Probably because of the sleeping issue it has been found that the most common rule set


by parents (56%) was that children have to leave their mobile phones out of their rooms at

night. Ten percent of young people also reported that their parents frequently had to ask them

to stop using their mobile phone late at night with 12% saying that this was the most common

disagreement between them and their parents (Matthews, 2004).

Financial disputes

In addition, there are issues of financial disputes in families over mobile phone payments.

Usage of mobile is more to access internet then to normal calling new messing apps have

been developed for instant messaging so in addition to usual phone recharge we need an

internet recharge as well which is rather more important. People also like to spent money for

data packs then normal recharge. Moreover, many social networking sites provides you with

instant calling service as well so, having an internet access solves every problem of yours in

today’s world.

Gender related social networking.

Although men were early adopters of mobile phones, it is women, in particular younger

women, who seem to have a broader register when sending text messages. In addition they

have more respectful prose with more control on their text messages (Ling, 2004c, and

pp.164-165). Analysis by Ling (2001a) revealed that although both boys and girls are

enthusiastic users of mobile phones, girls tend to be the driving force for social networking to

gain relatively larger and intense social groups than young male adults. Occasions such as

birthdays and anniversaries are remembered and nurtured, mainly by women, in order to

maintain the fiber of family bonds and social relationships. Mobile phones in the hands of


girls sustain this nurturing quality of womanhood with which they mature. Girls

communicate more intensely than boys do. Importantly, girls are more likely to bully others

than boys, and girls are victims of harassment/bullying via mobile phones more often than

boys are.

Health concerns

There are serious health concerns coming up due excessive use of mobile phone by teenagers.

As most of their valuable time is spent in texting and social networking they do not get

enough time to play and develop many physical and mental skills which only can be gained

in playgrounds. Children have become more fragile and disease prone. They have to provide

with vitamin supplements. There overall development is hampered. Due to increase in the

screen time of children they have glasses on their nose at very early ages.

With regard to the radiation from the base stations, there is no scientific evidence that

radiation triggers cancer in people who are in proximity to the base stations. However,

“protracted exposure causes more pronounced effects than short exposures of high intensity”

(Krewski et al., 2007, p. 289). Breast cancer among women, tumors among adults and

nosebleeds among young school children were some of the health issues that were attributed

to mobile phone masts that were in proximity for over 15 years (Foggo & Chittenden, 2007).

Another likely health risk is disproportionate headaches and migraines due to exposure to

mobile masts (Drake, 2006). The findings revealed that there was a tendency to suffer from

hearing problems due to laterality effect on the side of the tumor (Muscat et al., 2000).


Text language affecting proper language. Use of abbreviated language may ease and saves

your time while typing instant messages but due to iteration they become use to this language

and at effect their speaking and writing skills. Words like “gonna”, “wats up!”, “ttyl”, ”see

yaa”, “becoz” etc few examples of many abbreviations used. Students who are frequent use

texting happen to write the same in examination sheets as well.

Conclusion

The adoption of the mobile phone by young people has been a global phenomenon in recent

years. It is now an integral part of adolescents’ daily lives and is for the majority, the most

popular form of electronic communication. In fact, the mobile phone has turned from a

technological tool to a social tool The mobile phone has impacted on young people’s peer

groups enabling a truly networked society. Young people use the mobile phone in positive

ways to organise and maintain their social networks. However, there are also negative

impacts on young peoples’ peer relationships. These can include ostracism and cyber

bullying. Similarly, the mobile phone has lead to changed dynamics in the family, with issues

of safety and surveillance from a parental perspective leading to negotiated changing

freedoms for young people. While functional coordination can be beneficial for the family,

other problems can arise such as financial difficulties, non-custodial parent access, as well as

over reliance on the mobile phone for safety issues and intrusion into young peoples’ lives.

The impact of the mobile phone on the school as an institution has not however, received as

much research. Disruptions to lessons, incidences of cheating and bullying are some of the

negative impacts, while texting parents of truants seems to be the only positive for the school.

Judicious use of mobile phone is necessary. Social networking is good if in limits.



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Education

Communication modes amongst teenagers and