Interpersonal communication has changed significantly in the digital era. As digital technology use grows rapidly across all ages and locations, important face-to-face interactions are being replaced by online communication. The Uses and Gratifications Theory suggests that emerging adults use media like social networking sites and cell phones to fulfill needs for autonomy, identity, and intimacy. However, overreliance on instant gratification from online interactions can negatively impact real-world relationships and lead to issues like distraction and depression. While older generations still rely more on traditional media, younger people are early adopters of new technologies and tend to communicate more intimately online than in person.

1. How interpersonal communication has changed in the digital era
By Laura Sieckmann
Slide 1: Introduction:
Growing at a fast rate across all age groups and all global locations is the use of digital tech.
Some could say it is taking over lives and replacing such important face to face interactions and
communications.
Slide 2:
Interpersonal Communications are changing in the new digital landscape. Phones are being
designed as something we can’t live without. Relationships take on a whole new meaning when
created and maintained in a digital realm. This causes our needs and gratifications to change as
well.
Slide 3:
The Uses and Gratifications Theory (Katz, Blumler, & Gurevitch, 1974), purports that emerging
adults have specific needs and they gravitate toward the media to fulfill and satiate these needs
(Society for emerging adulthood, 2013).
These needs include pleasure, empowerment, intimacy and identity.
As our technology moves faster, our patience grows thinner. A huge study from UMass
Amherst, which surveyed 6.7 million users, showed that viewers tend to abandon online videos
if they take more than 2 seconds to load. Most users stay on a single web page long enough to
read only 20% of the text on that page, according to a survey by the Nielsen Norman Group.
On an emotional level, posting a Facebook status, a tweet, or an Instagram photo feeds on and
reinforces our need for instant approving feedback. Becoming too used to instant gratification in
the virtual world can lead to poor choices and major frustrations in the real world. (Liz Soltan).
Slide 4:
Adults are using traditional media: Newspapers, Television, Films, Games, Music and Books
and newer media: Social Networking Sites (SNS), Cell Phones and Internet to fulfill needs.
Young adults are looking to meet these needs: “Emerging adults use the media to gratify certain
needs; key among these are for autonomy, identity, and intimacy needs.” (Society for the Study
of Emerging Adulthood, 2013)
Intimacy is a need being gratified by media for users of all ages. “Computer-mediated
communication has sped up the intimacy process… People are more likely to disclose more

2. personal information on Social Networking Sites than they would in face to face communication
because the level of control is higher (Ledbetter et al., 2011)
Slide 5:
With studies showing 11 hours a day of use, with a drastic increase in recent years, this is a
huge issue, as many people do not have much free time that is not spent using a technology
medium.
Slide 6:
Media use/overuse and the effect it has on interpersonal communications is a growing global
concern.
According to digital responsibility.org, “Technology can have a large impact on users' mental
and physical health. Being overly connected can cause psychological issues such as
distraction, narcissism, expectation of instant gratification, and even depression.”
Slide 7:
Historically, demographics have been a major factor in determining media usage. Older
generations tend to lean more on traditional mediums, while younger generations are often early
adopters of nascent technology (Neilson, 2018).
According to Computers in Human Behavior, “Going online to communicate with one’s friends
appeared to play a more positive role in adolescents’ sense of identity. The results showed that
online peer communication affected self-concept clarity indirectly through its positive impact on
friendship quality.” (Davis, 2013).
According to an oft-cited 2016 report by Common Sense Media, teens spend an average of 9
hours per day interacting with media, not including time spent for school or homework. For kids
ages 8-12, the same Common Sense Media survey report found that they spent 6 hours per day
interacting with media. Kids ages 2-5 spend around 32 hours per week in front of a screen (e.g.,
watching TV, videos, gaming). Psychology Today, 2016.
Slide 8:
Greenfield cited a recent study conducted by her center that found that sixth graders’ ability to
read emotions from nonverbal cues improved significantly in just five days when they went to a
camp that focused on face-to-face interactions. She also pointed to another of their studies that
found that college students felt most “bonded” to their friends when they talked face to face, and
most distant from them when they text-messaged. And, yet, of course, these students still most
often communicated by text.