| We live in a fast paced society. Everyone is | | | | Khurana PhD. |
| constantly on the go. Whether it's in pursuit of | | | | His 14 month report revealed that there is a |
| survival or success, time just seems increasingly | | | | significant and increasing body of evidence, to |
| limited. The consequence of this time crunch is | | | | date, which reveals in at least 8 comprehensive |
| that we are all engaged in | | | | clinical studies internationally, and one long-term |
| touch-n-go-communications. | | | | meta-analysis, a link between mobile phone usage |
| That's sparse communication that you have with | | | | and certain brain tumors. Taken together, the |
| people while on the run. Some of us sustain | | | | data presented in this report compellingly suggest |
| relationships with people in this manner for years; | | | | that the link between mobile phones and brain |
| an email here, a voice mail there, and before you | | | | tumors should no longer be regarded as a myth. |
| know it, your entire relationship is predicated on | | | | Eye-opening, isn't it? |
| rushed and abbreviated cell phone conversations, | | | | What happens when we as a society become |
| endless phone tag, and/or, sporadic text or | | | | more comfortable with interacting with each other |
| voicemail messages. | | | | online or via cell phones than we do in person? |
| Everyone does it, and everyone is victimized by | | | | We underdeveloped our communication skills - our |
| it. It has (sadly) become the norm and its practice | | | | true communication skills require attentive listening, |
| is not called into question. But it should be. So let's | | | | empathy, and emotional intelligence. |
| take a minute and put down our cell phones and | | | | As a college professor, I'm encountering an |
| ultra modern communication devices and ask | | | | alarming number of withdrawn and socially inept |
| ourselves this question: Are these devices really | | | | students that are more comfortable with online |
| helping us communicate? | | | | interactions than face-to-face communications. |
| At best, they are wonderful technological tools, | | | | Many will wait for class to end and then go home |
| but like all tools, they were created for the | | | | to email questions rather than engage in real-time |
| purpose of helping us build, achieve, or accomplish | | | | communications in the presence of their |
| something with their use - not because of their | | | | classmates. It's less threatening, but it's also |
| use. Relaying and confirming information via text; | | | | normal for many of them. |
| setting up or confirming meetings; getting | | | | Unfortunately, those are the ones who don't |
| directions; and a "quick" hello, are just some of | | | | know when it's abnormal (i.e. inappropriate) to not |
| the more constructive and conservative ways to | | | | communicate directly (face-to-face). Yes, due |
| use a cell phone. | | | | diligence and old fashioned respect dictate that |
| They are a prelude if not a prerequisite to | | | | bad news, things of a deeply personal or |
| face-to-face communications when possible, but | | | | confidential nature, or major decisions are best |
| we all know people who appear to have a cell | | | | made face-to-face. These virtues are often |
| phone permanently attached to their ears, are | | | | suspended in cyberspace and trivialized by the |
| more comfortable "reaching out" via email, or who | | | | electromagnetic waves of a cell phone, or digital |
| can't fight their incessant compulsions to frantically | | | | transference of email. |
| send or check text messages. | | | | Curiously enough, I check my student's names in |
| I've always said that over the phone we talk, in | | | | Google at the beginning of each semester to get |
| person we communicate. The same applies to the | | | | background information that may help me to |
| Internet. Recently I stumbled across data which | | | | modify my curriculum to better serve their needs |
| upholds my philosophy. | | | | and interests, and I'm amazed at the sharp |
| Researchers have discovered that 7% of the | | | | contrast between the online personalities that |
| information we receive is from what people | | | | many of them portray on social networking sites |
| actually say, 38% of information we receive is | | | | such as MySpace, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and |
| from the tone, inflection and speed of our voices, | | | | how they are in person. |
| and a staggering 55% of the information we | | | | Dr. Avner Caspi of the Chais Research Center for |
| receive comes from our body language. | | | | the Integration of Technology in Education says |
| ''Non-verbal body cues are more immediate, | | | | that online communications thrive because of the |
| instinctive and uncontrolled than verbal expression, | | | | visual anonymity and virtual component of the |
| bringing genuine attitudes and feelings smack into | | | | users on both sides who render conveying |
| the open,'' stated Dr. Joy Davidson in a 1998 | | | | misleading and untruthful information relatively |
| Men's Fitness article. | | | | easy, although some say that the anonymity |
| The benchmark is how an individual reacted to | | | | enhances self-disclosure and honesty, with some |
| preliminary questions of a relatively innocuous | | | | users revealing some truths. |
| nature. This is similar to the technique used in | | | | So what are people lying about on the Internet? |
| performing a polygraph or lie detector exam. | | | | 44% about their residence, 27% about their age, |
| ''Microexpressions'' is what Paul Ekman, a | | | | 21% about their marital status. As an aside, |
| University of California psychology professor who | | | | people who lie about their residential status tend |
| researches emotional expression and lie detection, | | | | to be women who do so as a means of |
| calls the quick, involuntary ''flashes of emotion'' | | | | protection. |
| revealed by a person concealing the truth. | | | | It's not the lies or the half-truths that concern me |
| Microexpressions last one-fifth of a second or | | | | (though single people certainly have cause for |
| less. | | | | concern) it's the distortions and exaggerations |
| For example, among the gestures indicative of | | | | that are more troubling. Whether we are |
| lying are touching one's face, placing a hand over | | | | communicating online, or in person, the purpose of |
| one's mouth, ear-pulling, downcast eyes, glancing | | | | communication is to exchange information that |
| at the questioner, seat shifting, and looking down | | | | breeds a relationship which is based on honesty |
| and left. Eye movement is also indicative of | | | | and yields dividends for both parties. Anything less |
| right-brain activity corresponding to falsification, | | | | will be short-lived. |
| rather than the left-brain activity associated with | | | | When we rely upon emails and text messaging |
| memory and recall. Similarly, an agreeable listener | | | | for communication, they only tell half the story. |
| will close papers, place a pen down, and lay their | | | | Make it a point to periodically engage in |
| hands flat down on the table...but you can't see | | | | face-to-face communications with people to get |
| that on a cell phone. | | | | the other half of the story which they may not |
| In case you need additional motivation to consider | | | | verbalize, but will express in a myriad of |
| a reduction in the time you spend on a your cell, | | | | aforementioned ways. After all, there is truly no |
| mobile phone use is dangerous, according to a | | | | comparison to seeing a real smile to looking at : ) |
| recent 2008 report on Mobile Phones and Brain | | | | or reading "LOL" to hearing someone do it in |
| Tumors -A Public Health Concern by Vini Gautam | | | | person. |