The document discusses the impact of digital devices on family relationships. It notes that technology can both encourage isolation and weaken relationships, or encourage socialization and togetherness, depending on how it is used within the family. While technology allows families to stay connected over long distances, it can also distract family members and weaken interactions when devices are used at the dinner table or in close proximity. Whether technology inhibits or facilitates family relationships depends most on how, when and why it is used.

1. TheDigital
Family
ExploringtheImpactofDigital
DevicesonFamilyRelationships
ByMichèleWhitcombeImage:AlexisDoyenviaLifeofPix

2. Thepresenceof
digital
technologyis
ubiquitousin
theworld
aroundusand
hasmadeits
wayintothe
familyrealm.
Image:FrankWinklerviaPixabay

3. Theroleofdigitaldevicesinfamilylifeisa
double-edgedsword:
Encouragesisolationandweakens
relationships.(1)
Encouragessocializationand
togetherness.(1)
Image:FrancoisSchnellviaFlickr

4. Theeffectthattechnology
hasonrelationships
betweenfamilymembers
dependson how,when,and
whyitisusedwithinthe
familysetting.
Image:LeeroyviaLifeofPix

5. Over25%of
children13-20
wouldrather
turntothe
internetfirstto
seekhelp
ratherthan
speakwitha
parentor
guardian.(2)
Kidsmayuse
technologyto
replacetheir
parents’wisdom
when facedwith
aproblem.
Image:EdGregoryviaStokpic

6. Ahighschoolsophomoreexpressedthathewould
ratherseekdating advicefromartificial
intelligencethanhisDad.(3)
Image:ViktorHanacekviaPicjumbo

7. “Wehaveto
learntolivewith
[technology]ina
healthyway,
accordingtoour
humanvalues.
Andourhuman
valuesarenotto
putourkids
fifth,aftertexts,
e-mail,twitter,
andeverything
else.”–Sherry
Turkle(5)
Childrenare
competingina
formof"sibling
rivalry"against
theirparents'
devices.(4)
Image:LisaRunnelsviaPixabay

8. Parentsare
consumedby
their
technology
becauseithas
blurredthe
linesbetween
workand
familylife.(6)
Image:NiekVerlaanviaPixabay

9. Andthisproblemis
magnifiedatthe
familydinnertable.
Parentsandchildren
canrelatetoDaniel
Goleman'squote:
"Weareseducedby
distraction.Weare
beingpulledaway
frompaying
attentiontothings
thatenrichour
lives.”(7)
Image:ViktorHanacekviaPicjumbo

10. Uninvited digitalguestsoftenaccompany
familymemberstothedinnertableandimpede
familymembersfromengaginginmeaningful
conversation.
"StopGoogleing,Idon'tcareaboutthe
rightanswer.Ijustwanttotalktoyou.”
– 14-Year-OldGirl(8)
Image:ThomasLefebvreviaUnsplash

11. "Researchshows
thatjusthavinga
phoneonthetable
issufficiently
distractingto
reduceempathy
andrapport
betweentwo
peoplewhoarein
conversation.”
–VerenavonPfetten
(9)
Image:ViktorHanacekviaPicjumbo

12. Therelationshipbetweenfamilymembersisalso
impactedbythe"ethicalandsocialdilemma”of
monitoringoneanother'sactivitiesthrough
digitalmeans.(10)
Image:HeidiSadeckyviaPixabay

13. "Mutualtrustis
themost
important
casualtyoftoo
littleprivacy
withinthe
family.”– Robert
Mayer(12)
Parentsmayfeel
theyarebeing
negligentifthey
arenot
monitoringtheir
childrens’actions
inthedigitaland
realworld.(11)
Image:AdriannaCalvoviaPexels

14. Ithasbeendiscoveredthatmostofthenegative
impactstechnologyusecanhaveonfamily
relationshipsoccursbetweenimmediatefamily
memberswhentheyareincloseproximity.(13)
Thisisnotalwaysthecase…
Image:JillWellingtonviaPixabay

15. Somefamiliesreport
thatmobile
technologyhascaused
familytimetobecome
organic,notforced.
(14)
Image:WilliamIvenviaPixabay

16. Wearable
technologiesare
bringingthe
“hospitaltothe
home”,allowing
illfamily
membersto
continueliving
athomewith
theirfamilies
while
monitoringtheir
health.(15)
Image:CrewviaUnsplash

17. Wheretechnologyshinesitspositivelightis
initsabilitytokeepfamilymembers
connectedinourmobileandglobalized
world,whetherweareseparatedby10or
10000kilometres.
Image:RyanMcGuireviaPixabay

18. Betweenwork,school,andextracurricularactivities,
familymembersareconstantlyseparated.Mobile
technologyistheneedlethatknitsfamilymembers
togetherthroughouttheirbusydays.(16)
Image:TammyMcLeanviaPixabay

19. “Theabilityforfamiliesto
havecontinuouscontact
throughoutthedaywith
otherfamilymembers
increasesthefeelingof
closenessandhappiness.
Themajorityoffamilies
claimtheycommunicate
more,knoweachother
better,andareableto
organizepracticalities/
logisticsduringtheweek
moreeasily.”–Ericsson
ConsumerLab(16)Image:EricRothermelviaUnsplash

20. Digitaltechnologyallowsfamilymembersseparated
bylargedistancestocontinuetohaveapresencein
oneanother'slives.(13)
Image:JoseAntonioAlbaviaPixabay

21. Rhonda
Wilsonuses
skypeto
connectwith
herdaughter
whomoved
acrossthe
countrywith
herhusband
andchildren-
"It'sa
blessingto
seetheirdaily
liveson
skype."(17)
Image:sathyatripodiviaPixabay

22. Whatresearchershavefoundisthattechnology
accentuatestherelationshipsthatfamily
membershavewithoneanother.(18)
Image:CreativeVixviaPexels

23. Ultimately,itishow,when,andwhy
technologyisusedthatmakesiteither
aninhibitororfacilitatorwithinfamily
relationships.
Image:JillWellingtonviaPixabay

24. Bibliography
(1)Benesch,C.(2011).TheVirtualFamily:DoesTechnologyHelpOrHinderFamilyLife?.InstituteofMarriageandFamilyCanada.Retrieved
28May2016,fromhttp://www.imfcanada.org/issues/the-virtual-family
(2)ChildrenMoreLikelyToTurnToTheInternetIfTheyAreUpsetThanAFriend,StudyFinds.(2016).TheTelegraph.Retrieved28May2016
from
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/12195839/Children-more-likely-to-turn-to-internet-if-they-are-upset-than-a-friend-study-finds.html
(3)Turkle,S.(2012).TheFlightFromConversation.TheNewYorkTimes.Retrieved28May2016,from
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/the-flight-from-conversation.html
(4)Bologna,C.(2015).PowerfulAdsShowWhatYourChildSeesWhenYou'reAddictedtoYourPhone.TheHuffingtonPost.Retrieved28
May2016,from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/powerful-ads-show-what-your-child-sees-when-youre-addicted-to-your-
phone_us_559fd64be4b096729155ec27
(5)Lowry,L.(n.d.)FacebookvsFace-to-Face:HowTechnologyThreatensParent-ChildInteraction.TheHanenCentre.Retrieved28May
2016,fromhttp://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Our-Views-on-the-News/Facebook-vs-Face-to-Face--How-Technology-Threatens.aspx
(6)Clarkson,J.,Goldhaber,T.andMieczakowski,A.(2011).Culture,Communication,andChange:ASummaryofAnInvestigationoftheUse
andImpactofModernMediaandTechnologyInOurLives.UniversityofCambridge.Retrieved28May2016,from
https://www-edc.eng.cam.ac.uk/books/culturebookshort/short_report_final_23.06.11.pdf
(7).Anderssen,E.(2014).DigitalOverload:HowWeAreSeducedByDistraction.TheGlobeandMail.Retrieved28May2016,from
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/relationships/digital-overload-how-we-are-seduced-by-distraction/article17725778/?page=all
(8)Turkle,S.(2013).TheDocumentedLife.TheNewYorkTimes.Retrieved28May2016,from
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/16/opinion/the-documented-life.html
(9)VonPfetten,V.(2016).ReadThisStoryWithoutDistraction(CanYou?).TheNewYorkTimes.Retrieved28May2016,from
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/01/fashion/monotasking-drop-everything-and-read-this-story.html
*Pleasenotethatthelightbluetextindicatesthatthesourceisacoursereading

25. (10)Ingram,M.(2013).SnoopingOnYourKids:IfTheNSA'sToolsWereAvailable,IProbablyWouldHaveUsedThem.Gigaom.Retrieved28
May2016,from
https://gigaom.com/2013/08/07/snooping-on-your-kids-if-the-nsas-tools-were-available-i-probably-would-have-used-them/
(11)Paul,P.(2013)CyberparentingandtheRiskofTMI.TheNewYorkTimes.Retrieved28May2016,from
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/05/fashion/cyber-parents-accessing-perhaps-tmi.html
(12)Mayer,R.(2003).Technology,Family,andPrivacy:CanWeKnowTooMuchAboutOurLovedOnes?.JournalofConsumerPolicy,26(4),
419-439.http://journals2.scholarsportal.info.proxy.queensu.ca/pdf/01687034/v26i0004/419_tfapcwtmaolo.xml
(13)Netburn,D.(2011).TechnologyCanBothImproveandHinderFamilyRelationships,SurveySays.TheLosAngelesTimes.Retrieved28
May2016,from
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/07/skyping-with-grandma-and-texting-at-the-dinner-table-a-new-report-examines-
the-effect-of-technology-.html
(14)Williams,A.(2011).QualityTime,Redefined.TheNewYorkTimes.Retrieved28May2016,from
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/01/fashion/01FAMILY.html
(15)Rhew,D.(2016).WelcomeHome:TheHealthHuboftheFuture. SamsungBusinessInsights.Retrieved28May2016,from
https://insights.samsung.com/2016/03/24/welcome-home-the-health-hub-of-the-future/
(16)EricssonConsumerLab.(2015).BringingFamiliesCloser:TheImpactofCommunicationsTechnologyonFamiliesintheUS.Ericsson.
Retrieved28May2016,fromhttp://www.ericsson.com/res/docs/2015/consumerlab/ericsson-consumerlab-bringing-families-closer.pdf
(17)Steinweg,C.(2013)Generations:TechnologyKeepsUsConnected.TheTimesnwi.com.Retrieved28May2016,from
http://www.nwitimes.com/lifestyles/seniors/generations-technology-keeps-us-connected/article_0c9705ef-8bdc-5e4b-
b9a4-7a3c57dc4628.html
(18)Gordon,A.(2012).DigitalAgeAffectsFamilyTimeandRelationships.TheTorontoStar.Retrieved28May2016,from
https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2012/02/20/digital_age_affects_family_time_and_relationships.html
BibliographyContinued
*Pleasenotethatthelightbluetextindicatesthatthesourceisacoursereading