How might multi-tasking and the frequent use of social media change the people relate to one another in person?

How Might Multi-Tasking and the Frequent Use of Social Media Change How the People Relate To One Another In Person?
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Title
Instructor
Date
How Might Multi-Tasking and the Frequent Use of Social Media Change How the People Relate To One Another In Person?
Introduction
Over the last decade, there has been extensive research into the issues of distraction and multitasking as people in the society today attempt to perform multiple activities to fit their busy schedules (Wihbey, 2013). Increased efforts into this area of research have also been due to the explosion of social media platforms that have engaged the society through collaboration at homes, learning institutions, and at workplaces. For instance, some studies have been conducted to indicate that driving among motorists is largely impaired when talking or chatting on a mobile phone (Watson & Strayer, 2009). In another study, students who used Facebook during their studies reported having performed better due to multitasking (Rosen, Carrier & Cheever 2012). These controversial results call for further research to establish the impact of using social media networks on individual performance. While social media has been shown to be a powerful tool of communication in modern societies, its use while performing other tasks can lead to multitasking which changes the way people relate to one another in person.
Multitasking such as the use of social media while driving distorts the effectiveness of how people relate to another in person. While people are naturally inefficient in multitasking, the brain can simultaneously commit to more than a single task. This explains why one can chew gum and walk at the same time. However, the underlying principle is for one to avoid any task that will potentially interfere with the capacity of the brain to handle the main activity efficiently. The danger of multitasking such as chatting on social media network and driving at the same time can be tragic. In a case when one is driving in less dense traffic, there might not be any serious problem having a chat with a friend. After heavy traffic and the heavy rains start, the chat with a friend who is comfortable at home or office will continue since the other party has no idea the state in which you are in. While the driver wants to end the chat and keep an eye on the roads, the other partner will continue the conversation. In the process, the driver fails to realize that there is a heavy truck that is sliding towards them, which eventually causes a fatal accident. According to David Meyer, “Not only the speed of performance, the accuracy of performance, but what I call the fluency of performance, the gracefulness of their performance was negatively influenced by the overload of multitasking” (Brann, 2013). This quote connects to the fact that one should avoid such tasks that would possibly interfere with their minds from handling the main activity, which is in this case, driving. Richard Restak states that in his neuropsychiatric practice, he encounters “normal people…who experience heavy concentration.” This implies that it is normal to have otherwise normal people with difficulties in their concentrat...