The Influence of technology on Interpersonal Skills

The Influence of technology on Interpersonal Skills

Has interpersonal communication within society improved with the current technological advances? According to de Janasz (2009) “Much electronic communication in the work place now takes place via e-mail, instant messaging, texting, faxing, teleconferencing, cell phones, voicemail and other means such as websites and Internet technologies.” (p. 134). During the past 20 years, I have experienced numerous technological innovations from the personal computer, to the Internet and mobile devices. This technology not only has become a reality, but also easily available and affordable. On a normal day an individual has many tools to communicate with coworkers and family, such as email, telephone, Facebook©, or in person. But this does not mean that an average person has developed effective interpersonal skills due to the wide telecommunication technology. On the contrary, technology has made us less personal.

Human interaction is part of our culture and nature. Establishing bonds such as friendship and sharing experiences and feeling are examples of our need for interaction. However, due to current telecommunication technology, impersonal interaction has become the normal social interaction. For instance, the Internet has been around long enough for us to realize that newer generations lack the ability to read body language or build conventional relationships. As mentioned by de Janasz, most school of business graduates lack interpersonal skills (2009). This is a problem that although is not totally due to current technology replacing ways of communication, it has played a big role deterring us from building interpersonal skills.

I see the online dating site eHarmony® has been promoting its services on national television for several years. This leads me to believe that many people rely on online services to meet and interact instead of using traditional social events. “An additional issue raised by social network sites is what the meaning of ‘friends’ is in these environments. Some observers speculate that the meaning of friend is more broad than conventional understandings” (Tong, Van Der Heide, Langwell, & Walther, 2008). This leads me to check my Facebook account. It has 130 friends listed. The more I look into the list the more I realize it consists of acquaintances.

Moreover, as mentioned by de Janasz (2009), “Electronic communication also has the potential downside of reducing the quality and amount of human interaction.” (p. 134) A nominal day at the office for many of us consists of checking and responding to emails, communicating via instant messenger and attending a meeting via teleconferencing. These tools allow us to keep track of activities, requests, ideas, and so forth. However, this also promotes losing the interpersonal relationships that people need to engage.

It is now very common in the work force for people to work from home one or two days a week, better known as telecommuting. Current technology such as the Internet and teleconferences make this possible and it is very advantageous to employees and companies. However, permanently adopting this practice will hinder the ability for people to develop close working relations. But it is important to allow coworkers to know some aspects of your personal life in order to help them build an emotional and personal connection (Janasz, 2009).

Telecommunication technology allows for virtually instantaneous access to information. The phrase “google it” has become part of our everyday language. It refers to search certain information on the Internet. This is a great advantage although not all the information available online is necessarily reliable. The fact that there are many means to communicate, allows for a more convenient way to exchange information with a global audience. We rely on websites to do research instead of using the Internet to communicate with experts on topics of our interest. The use of technology can enhance and promote personal interaction if used in a diverse and personal manner.

The advancement of technology has expanded the communication channels available to us. However, it is important to maintain and continue polishing the conventional “people skills” necessary for personal and professional relationships. Current technology allows for global and mass communication, which offers great benefits; however, it does not replace conventional interpersonal skills. Therefore, the need is to make sure technology is not our predominant form of communication or a deterrent in developing our interpersonal skills.

Sources

Wenbin Nah, WN. (2008, August 16). Technology's effect on interpersonal communication [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://communicatebetter.blogspot.com/2008/08/technology-and-its-influence-on.html

Johnson, David. Joining Together Group Theory and Group Skills. 10th. ed. New York, NY: Pearson/Merrill, 2009. Print.

Tong, S. T., Van Der Heide, B., Langwell, L., & Walther, J. B. (2008). Too much of a good thing? The relationship between number of friends and interpersonal impressions on Facebook. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(3), 531-549.