This document discusses how technology can lead to social isolation and neurosis. It defines social isolation as a lack of communication between individuals and groups, and neurosis as feelings of anxiety and obsession that dominate one's personality. The document notes that heavy internet users report spending less time with friends and family both online and in person. It then examines how various technologies like computers, cellphones, headphones, television and video games can encourage isolation by replacing in-person interaction. Both pros and cons of technology are discussed.

1. BY: Brendan King
Media Presentation
Social Impact of Technology
Emily Brett
TECHNOLOGY CREATES SOCIAL ISOLATION
AND NEUROSIS

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS:
• WHAT IS SOCIAL ISOLATION? 1
• EFFECTS OF SOCIAL ISOLATION 2
• WHAT IS NEUROSIS? 3
• WHAT TECHNOLOGY IMPACTS SOCIAL ISOLATION AND NEUROSIS? 4
• STATISTICS 5
• WHAT TECHNOLOGY IMPACTS SOCIAL ISOLATION AND NERUOSIS? 6
• COMPUTERS 7
• CELLPHONES 8
• HEADPHONES 9
• TELEVISION/VIDEOGAMES 10
• PROS AND CONS OF TECHNOLOGY 11
• REFERENCES 12

3. WHAT IS SOCIAL ISOLATION?
• a state or process in which persons ,
groups, or cultures lose or do not have
communication or cooperation with one
another, often resulting in open
conflict.

4. THE DAY TO DAY EFFECTS OF SOCIAL
ISOLATION INCLUDES:
• staying home for days or weeks, due to lack of
access to social situations rather than a desire
to be alone;
• both not contacting, and not being contacted by,
any acquaintances
• a lack of meaningful, extended relationships,
and especially close intimacy (both emotional
and physical)

5. WHAT IS NEUROSIS?
• a functional disorder in which feelings of
anxiety, obsessional thoughts, compulsive
acts, and physical complaints without
objective evidence of disease, in various
degrees and patterns, dominate the
personality.

6. STATISTICS
• 27% of heavy Internet users report spending
less time talking to friends and family over the
phone.
• 15% report spending less time physically with
friends and family
• 13% report spending less time attending events
outside the house.

7. WHAT TECHNOLOGY IMPACTS SOCIAL
ISOLATION AND NEUROSIS?
• Computers (emailing, social networks; Twitter,
Facebook, Myspace,)
• Cellphones (texting, Siri)
• Head phones
• Television
• Video games
• Self-serve services (gas stations “pay at pump,” self
check outs)

8. COMPUTERS
• The presence of media sites such as Facebook and
Twitter created a negative influence on children and
teenagers because of society’s increased reliance on
these services as central forms of social interaction.
• Instead of having the ability to interact with others in
person, the shift to social media has led to the
underdevelopment of social skills.

9. CELLPHONES
• Advances in cellphones have contributed to this greater disconnect in personal
interaction.
• Eg. texting as a form of communication in today’s society.
• Texting is a barrier to communication, it acts as an alternative option to the more personal
form of communicating through phone conversations.
• Cellphones allow people to ignore the human aspect of contact that has always been
central to the functioning of society.
• Cellphones allow people to rely upon simple phrases and emotions as an attempt to relay
emotions that could be far better expressed in person.
• iPhone’s now provide a friendly operator with a robotic female assistant named Siri who
can answer all of your questions at the push of a button. Instead of asking the people
around you for directions, questions etc.

10. HEADPHONES
• Society is now a headphone generation, preferring to listen to
our music in silence rather interacting socially with friends,
family, or even perhaps a stranger.
• Hellos and goodbyes have been replaced with head nods and
fist bumps.
• A person’s voice no longer needs to be heard as long as his
cellphone shows five bars of connection.

11. TELEVISION AND VIDEO GAMES
• Television and Video games occupy a massive amount
of time for teenagers, it also takes focus away from
friends and family, simply causing isolation and
neurosis.

12. PROS AND CONS OF TECHNOLOGY
• Pros:
• Keeping in touch with friends and family over distance. Eg. Facetime, Skype
• Quick and easy
• Able to find information quickly
• Updates are more frequent (i.e if a friend is getting married, one can get updates the moment it
happens.
• Cons:
• Lack of human interactions
• Increases anxiety
• Decreases social skills
• Depression
• Poor Sleep Habits
• Obesity
• Addiction

13. REFERENCES:
• Lutfala, A. (2011). Technology imposes social isolation. Retrieved from
http://trail.pugetsound.edu/2011/10/technology-imposes-social-isolation/
• Neurosis. (n.d). In Dictionary – online dictionary. Retrieved from
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/neurosis?s=t
• Nielsen, J. (2000). Does the Internet Make Us Lonely? Retrieved from
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/does-the-internet-make-us-lonely/
• Roogirl. (2013). 25 Negative Effects of Technology. Retrieved from http://roogirl.com/25-
negative-effects-of-technology/
• Social Isolation. (n.d). In Dictionary – online dictionary. Retrieved from
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/social+isolation?s=t&path=/