Meghan Stouter Bedell CAS 137H 4-26-13 (Revised) Paradigm Shift in Communication

Stouter 1

As time has progressed, so have advancements in technology. Certain advancements have directly influenced the way people communicate with one another. From solely verbal speech to the inventions of the telegraph, fax machine, computer, telephone, and now cellphone, people have been adopting these developments with time to have alternative ways of communication. It is seen not only in the way individuals get in touch with one another, but also the ways in which businesses and schools operate. Though communication amongst humans has changed drastically throughout history with the creation of these new technologies, the most significant change occurred post 1994 with the establishment of Short Messaging Service and the World Wide Web. New communication technologies have created a shift toward constant availability for socialization and instilled a feeling of need for instant gratification. Electronic messages such as texting, emailing, and social networking are overtaking traditional, verbal communication as preferred methods of interaction. The first modern cellular phone was invented by Dr. Martin Cooper of Motorola. He changed history when he made the first mobile call in April of 1973 (Bellis). Today in the United States, there are multiple cell phone providers and the phones have developed and keep developing rapidly. While cellphones used to be only for mobile calls, now most are smart phones and can be used for a variety of things from playing games to surfing the web, but

Stouter 2 most users are obsessed with the texting craze. According to 2012 texting statistics, 90% of adults 18-29 years old and 77% of 12-17 year olds own cell phones. These numbers have increased 30% since 2004 and the average age at which one receives their first cell phone has decreased (Lenhart). Of these owners, 63% say they exchange text messages every day with people in their lives. Teenagers are more apt to use texting as their only form of communicating than adults. Half of the teen users send 50 or more text messages a day, (1,500 texts a month), one in three send more than 100 texts a day (more than 3,000 texts a month) and 15% send more than 200 texts a day, (more than 6,000 texts a month) (Lenhart). It has become so widespread that text messaging has generated $585 billion for operators worldwide as of 2011 and it is expected to generate more than $1 trillion over the next seven years. (De Raaf). In 1994, the same year the Short Messaging Service arose, the government also released the World Wide Web to the public thus making communication at light speed (Bellis). This resulted in increased popularity and use of email, instant messengers, and social networking. The Internet is defined as the worldwide interconnection of individual networks operated by government, industry, academia, and private parties (Internet World Stats). Originally the Internet served to interconnect laboratories engaged in government research, but since its release, it has been expanded to serve millions of users and a multitude of purposes in all parts of the world. According to the Internet Growth Statistics the amount of users has increased from a mere 16 million or .4% of people worldwide to an astonishing 2,395 million or 34.2% of all people across the globe (Internet World Stats). This growth illustrates the popularity the

Stouter 3 internet has obtained. It has been adjusted over the years to work even faster to satisfy the publics need for immediate online satisfaction. The unrestricted internet and SMS are significant around the world, but held at extremely high value in more developed countries. They created a paradigm shift in society because now, younger generations are more likely to send a text than call someone, and even older generations are becoming increasingly likely to send emails over phone calls. In a study conducted in the United Kingdom, according to the countrys communications industry regulator, 58% of people communicated via texts on a daily basis in 2011 while only 47% made a daily mobile call, (BBC News). Texting generally only used to be used for short messages, which is why it was limited to 160 characters, but as time progressed, message length increased. Now rather than only using SMS for short, emergent things, people are using the service as a way to tell more elaborate stories, send multimedia messages, and communicate with more people at one time. It has significantly spread across the country and even businesses began to adapt it because it is cheaper and more convenient. It has begun to be used for things such as voting for ones favorite reality TV show like American Idol, and even for involvement in presidential campaigns (De Raaf). In addition to the prompt increase of text messaging as a means to communicate, Email has also contributed to the I would rather type than speak trend. Joan Lloyd discusses this trend in her article Use of Email continues to rise. She states, to say e-mail has changed the way we communicate is like saying Bill Gates has a buck or two (Lloyd). It is an obvious trend amongst people of all ages. According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, in 2009,

Stouter 4 more than 90% of Internet users between 18 and 72 said they send and receive email, making it the top online activity just ahead of search engines. Respondents also said that 70% of them have more than one email account (PPD). Email is used for all types of messages from asking questions to sending links of websites, and numerous workplaces and schools use it to contact coworkers and students. It has become so prominent due to its undeniable convenience and simplicity for all ages. The releasing of the World Wide Web also led to a new craze of social networking. In 2004, ten years following this event, the first major social networking sites took off, MySpace and Facebook (Wood). These are just two among many that allow users to meet or become friends with fellow networkers, converse with each other, read each others posts/statuses, and keep track of each others lives. Reports show that Facebook alone has captured an astounding 845 million members worldwide (Wood). On most social networking sites, it is simple to exchange words with people by sending them an online message or commenting on something they post. It is easier for users to branch out and talk to people in which whom they may not normally confront in person. Smartphones and iPhones greatly contributed to the increased rise in texting, emailing, and social networking as well because for the first time, one could accomplish all three tasks on one small, handheld device. These modes of communicating have greatly changed the way in which people interact. Now, especially in teenagers and young adults who grew up with these technologies, there is somewhat of a need to feel like one is always socializing through these programs. They create a sense of instant gratification because

Stouter 5 one can simply ask another a quick question via text and receive an immediate answer without having an actual conversation. This necessity for constant socialization however, may be negatively impacting society. Many people feel the need to be texting, emailing, or tweeting regularly throughout their day, while multitasking with whatever else they have to do which creates a distraction for individuals. Whether driving, sitting in class, or talking to a fellow peer/employee, people would rather be on their phones instead. Of teenage students, 64% say they use their cell phones during class because they are simply bored (Lenhart). Even when people get together socially today, they still spend an excessive amount of time communicating on their phones rather than with the person they are actually with. More shockingly, people aged 14 to 29 said they would rather give up their relationship partner than their cell phone by a 2-to-1 margin (Gonyou). These examples however, seem minute compared to the distraction of driving while intexticated (Texting). Statistics show that 23% of auto collisions in 2011 involved cell phone usage behind the wheel (Texting). Thus, the need for constant socialization has become so seemingly imperative these days that it is disrupting daily tasks and causing complications in many aspects of life. Communication via texting, emailing, and social networking has noticeably changed peoples speaking and writing. In 2011, the common text message acronym LOL (laugh out loud) was actually added to Oxford Dictionary because has become such a recognized word (De Raff). People use acronyms such as this and texting/instant messaging slang in every day speech due to the increasing use of these programs. A negative correlation is observed in the

Stouter 6 communication world: as the use of these advanced networks of communication continues to increase, verbal communication continues to decrease. They have become such an important part of peoples lives, especially teenagers and young adults, that the average American teen spends four hours per day interfacing with some sort of device (Gonyou). This illustrates how significant these technologies are to individuals. Whether one is texting, emailing, or having a conversation with another on a social networking site, these forms of communicating have become more prevalent and favored over verbal or face-to-face speaking. These modes of contacting each other are preferred because of their convenience and the users sensation of continual socialization and instant gratification. The technologies created in 1994, Short Messaging Service, and the World Wide Web are responsible for these dramatic changes which is why it can be seen as a paradigm shift in society.

Stouter 7 Works Cited Bellis, Mary. "Selling the Cell Phone." About. About.com. Web. 28 Oct 2012. <http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa070899.htm>. De Raaf, Arjon. "Text Messaging: A Timeline Of How 160 Characters Changed The Way We Communicate ." Infographic List. N.p., 10 2012. Web. 28 Oct 2012. <http://infographiclist.com/2012/01/10/text-messaging-a-timeline-of-how-160characters-changed-the-way-we-communicate-infographic/>. "Email Statistics." PPD. Power Pro Direct. Web. 28 Oct 2012. <http://www.powerprodirect.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1 32:email-statistics&catid=63:blog&Itemid=50 Gonyou, Stephanie. "Technology has Changed the way we Communicate." The North Wind. The North Wind, 07 2011. Web. 28 Oct 2012. <http://www.thenorthwindonline.com/?p=3860972>. Internet Growth Statistics." Internet World Stats. Miniwatts Marketing Group. Web. 28 Oct 2012. <http://www.internetworldstats.com/emarketing.htm>. Lenhart, Amanda. "Teens, Smartphones, and Texting." Pew Internet. Pew Internet and American Life Project, 19 2012. Web. 28 Oct 2012. <http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Teens-and-smartphones/Communicationchoices/Texting-dominates-teens-general-communication-choices.asp&xgt;. Lloyd, Joan. "Use of Email Continues to Rise." Joan Lloyd and Associates. Joan Lloyd and Associates. Web. 28 Oct 2012. <http://www.joanlloyd.com/Your-Career/Use-of-e-mailcontinues-to-rise.asp&xgt;. "People Now More Likely to Text Than to Make a Phone Call." BBC News. CRIENGLISH, 18 2012. Web. 28 Oct 2012. <http://english.cri.cn/6909/2012/07/18/2982s712414.htm>. "DWI: Driving While Intexticated." Texting and Driving Safety. N.p.. Web. 28 Oct 2012. <http://www.textinganddrivingsafety.com/texting-and-driving-stats/>. Wood, Jenni. "Timeline: Social Media." Infoplease. Pearson Education Inc.. Web. 28 Oct 2012. <http://www.infoplease.com/science/computers/social-media-timeline.html>.