Is Social Media Ruining Our Lives? How Connected Are You?

Have you ever texted someone and you wonder why it is taking them so long to answer back?  Or do you check your phone every time it vibrates, blinks, or chirps? Emails are constantly updating to our phones and “Google” is only a button away. This instant technology is now being the fall point of the increase of Attention Deficit Disorder, also known as ADD. Researchers question the amount of television in the home and if that impacts a child’s attention span. According to Social Times, it seems that because of media the average attention span has fallen from 12 minutes to 5 minutes. 5 minutes of attention equates to a paragraph of information that the brain can actually retain. If every 5 minutes a child needs to be refocused, during an hour long class the child would be asked to pay attention 12 times.  THIS IS ABSURD!

Forbes made a play at the social media aspect quoting a very popular slogan, Verizon’s “Can you hear me now?” campaign should probably be replaced with, “Are you paying attention to me now?”  This is the new slogan in our classrooms and in conversations. Face-to-face interactions are interrupted by the flashing lights and catchy ringtones of our society.   

STUDY 

In order to validate these points represented by various media outlets, I would like to conduct a study. In a college classroom, where labtops are allowed, a teacher will give a lecture. The lecture will be relevant and important to the students major. This should incline most to pay attention. Students will be asked to take notes using Microsoft Word.  During this time, I would calculate the amount of times a student deviates from there open Microsoft Word Document. Deviations include anything that is not that open Microsoft Word document including email, Facebook, Twitter, and even Elms. It is important to include Elms because it detracts the student’s attention away from the instructor. The average would be calculated by the amount of deviations over the amount of time that the professor is lecturing. What do you think the results would be?

 Does media affect the attention span of adults? No longer do we wait until Monday mornings to respond to emails. Emails are read through anytime of day throughout the weekend. Society places hourly deadlines on projects that previously were given days to complete. Jobs and businesses expect for task to be done spontaneously. With programs like remote access there is no reason why assignments have to wait until you reach work to be completed. Employers expect customers to be happy and customers expect speedy business.

Media and today’s children go hand in hand. The internet was not very popular when I was a child but in recent years it has begun to take over. Many say we are the instant generation. As an instant generation who know what will happen next.