Arce 1 Jennifer Arce Professor Filbeck English 114 A 31 October 2013 Teenagers Cell Phone Dependency: Is it Too Much?

The Pew Research Center found that 78% of the 802 teens surveyed were in possession of a cell phone. This research goes to show that with all the advancement in technology, society has changed a lot in the past years. Technology has become a huge factor in many peoples lives because of the convenient simplicity it provides for its users. People can contact each other quickly, information can be found without hesitation online, and practically anything can be done with todays technology. A huge addition to the popularity of technology is the well-known cellphones. They have changed the way that humans interact and have especially become a big impact in teenagers lives. Although many may argue that cell phones can have various positive impacts on a young persons life, they have become a major distraction to the average teenager. Teenagers in this era have become overly dependent on the use of technology and because of this these devices have formed a barrier between them and the real world. In the past many people were able to get through each day of life without any use of technology and now, most teenagers cannot live or function without their cellphone creating negative effects overall on social life, health, academics, and values. The social life of many young people has taken another route as the use of cell phones has risen. In her article, Teens are spending more time consuming media, on mobile devices, Masuma Ahuja articulates that some experts, say they worry that teens spend so much interacting with each other on social networks and phones that they are growing less comfortable

Arce 2 with in-person interactions and not developing essential social skills. Teenagers are becoming so accustomed to the technological world that they are forgetting how to deal with real life situations. Instead of spending too much time on their phones, they should find ways to interact with others and build new friendships. Some teenagers though, believe that with cell phones they can be more social, but being social should not only be an online chat or text message. Being social for teenagers should mean that they are out with friends spending valuable time and actually making friendships that are not only virtual. The use of cellphones has in many situations caused health risks. In her blog article, psychologist Suzanne Phillips states that when using cellphones teens feel like they need to have them constantly and it jeopardizes physical, emotional, and cognitive functioning and limits domains of influence and connection (Teens Sleeping with Cell Phones). When teenagers become obsessed with using their cell phones they do not realize it can actually harm them. Oftentimes, adolescents get too attached to their materialistic things but do not consider the dangers they can cause. Phillips also points out that, Texting as an addiction jeopardizes sleep, cognitive functioning and real relating-making dependence on it greater and greater. Lack of sleep is very unhealthy for teenagers, especially since they are still developing cognitively and physically. Of course cellphones are a great way for people to communicate but there is a difference between using them to communicate in a given circumstance and becoming addicted to using them for unnecessary purposes. In many cases the use of cell phones interferes with a teenagers academic environment. In her article Jennifer Luden states that during a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project it was reported that, at schools where cell phones are forbidden, 58 percent of students with mobile phones say they've sent a text message during

Arce 3 class (Teen Texting Soars; Will Social Skills Suffer?). If students are distracted while they are in their classrooms they do not absorb what is being taught by their teachers. Cell phones prevent some adolescents from paying attention in classrooms and in the long run it is not worth it. According to Lisa Belkin, More than one-third of teens with cellphones (35 percent) admit they have used those phones, at least once, to cheat on tests (Using a Cellphone to Cheat). If students use their cell phones to cheat then they are not really becoming the knowledgeable students they are meant to be. Of course to them it might be easier to get through a test by cheating, but there is no benefit because even if they pass the test it will not make them any smarter. There are times when adolescents forget what truly is important to them because of their constant cellphone usage and because of this their true values are forgotten. In their article, Jan Cloninger and Rosemary Strembicki, state, Often, parents tell us they feel technology is taking over their family and/or children's lives, but they don't know when enough is enough, or what they can do to control it (How Is Technology Affecting Your Family?). Parents themselves realize how technology can affect their childrens lives. If youth are constantly on their phones they end up forgetting what truly is important, they waste their time on gadgets that are not as valuable as an actual person. Although cell phones can affect family relationships there are times when the use of them can help strengthen relationships. In her monthly column, Family Fundamentals: Use of cell phones can help, hurt parent/teen relationship, the author found that, Parents also reported better relationships when the teen used the phone to check in, ask permission for something or a similar type of call (Filipic). Cell phone use can be a helpful way to maintain contact with important people, but that is what they are meant for, they should be used when necessary instead of all the time. In Cell Phones Key to Teens Social Lives, 47%

Arce 4 Can Text with Eyes Closed, the MarketingCharts Staff found that, Second only to clothing, teens say, a persons cell phone tells the most about their social status or popularity, outranking jewelry, watches and shoes. Instead of finding value in important things, some young people think that cell phones are what define them. It is unbelievable that cell phones are a way for teenagers to determine whether they should fit in or not. Adolescents do not tend to use technology in a positive way and as a result it can lead to an unfulfilled life and unhealthy relationships. Cellphones are meant to be used for important purposes, not to interfere with a persons well-being or life style. I, myself, went through my phase were I felt I could not live without my cell phone but eventually realized there are far more important things that the world has to offer. It is better to find other things to do that can benefit a person personally in the long run. Technology is not always a bad thing if it used wisely but teens in todays world do not realize that they isolate themselves by getting too attached to what technology has to offer. Youth should stop relying on something that others were able to live without for many years and they should make a difference in the world by not falling into the technological traps of cell phones.

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Works Cited Ahuja, Masuma. "Teens Are Spending More Time Consuming Media, on Mobile Devices." Washington Post. N.p., 13 Mar. 2013. Web. 16 Oct. 2013. Belkin, Lisa. "Using a Cellphone to Cheat." Motherlode Using a Cellphone to Cheat Comments. The New York Times, 30 June 2009. Web. 16 Oct. 2013. Cloninger, Jan, and Rosemary Strembicki. "How Is Technology Affecting Your Family?" The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 12 Sept. 2013. Web. 16 Oct. 2013. Filipic, Martha. "Family Fundamentals: Use of Cell Phones Can Help, Hurt Parent/teen Relationship (for October 2011) Home." Family Fundamentals: Use of Cell Phones Can Help, Hurt Parent/teen Relationship (for October 2011) Home. The Ohio State University, 19 Oct. 2011. Web. 16 Oct. 2013. Ludden, Jennifer. "Teen Texting Soars; Will Social Skills Suffer?" NPR. NPR, 20 Apr. 2010. Web. 16 Oct. 2013. Phillips, Suzanne, PsyD. "Teens Sleeping with Cellphones: A Clear and Present Danger." Weblog post. This Emotional Life. PBS, n.d. Web. 16 Oct. 2013. Staff, MarketingCharts. "Cell Phones Key to Teens Social Lives, 47% Can Text with Eyes Closed." MarketingCharts. N.p., 28 Sept. 2008. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.