The Family Dynamic (Research Proposal Sample)

The Family Dynamic: A Research Proposal to Raise Awareness of the Importance of Quality Family Interaction Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Executive Summary In today’s society, technology allows us to communicate with people across the globe in real-time. However, reckless use of these devices might damage the relations as well as diminish the pleasure from personal interactions. Recently our society has borne witness to a decline in the family dynamic and it is thought that this is a very dangerous path to continue on. A large portion of this decline is attributed to the unabated saturation of handheld electronics into our lives and homes. The overuse of technology in families does, in fact, have many negative side effects. Family dinner time has been reduced to sitting around a table while everyone’s attention is directed to their cell phone. This technology is not always used to benefit the family and might often result in conflicts between children and their parents. These problems can be solved through various strategies for taking control of technology use in our homes. Parents should focus on the dangers to children posed by ready access to the internet provided by smart phones, laptops, and tablets and control how children use these apps. Parents should also spend much time with their children and prioritize the well-being of the family, besides interacting in neutral environments without smartphones nearby. Table of Contents Executive summary-------------------------------------------------------------------------------2 Table of contents----------------------------------------------------------------------------------3 Introduction----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4 Problem definition--------------------------------------------------------------------------------4 The new Technology-----------------------------------------------------------------------------5 Technology and family---------------------------------------------------------------------------6 Parents and Technology Use---------------------------------------------------------------------6 Children and technology use---------------------------------------------------------------------7 Background-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7 Plan of Investigation--------------------------------------------------------------------------------8 Proposed solution-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------9 Qualifications---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------10 Conclusions-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------10 References-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------12 Introduction In today’s society, technology allows us to communicate with people across the globe in real-time. E-mail, Twitter, Facebook, Skype, and many other applications and services enable people as never before to do business, socialize, or engage in commerce with just the click of a mouse. During the early and mid-20th century, in the absence of most modern technology, when two-parent nuclear families were the norm in middle-class America. Additionally, family dinners at home were a common evening ritual. When dad came home from after a hard day’s work, mom would have dinner waiting (NCAA Columbia University, 2012). Kids might have after-school activities, but were usually required to be home in time for dinner. In the 21st century, the family dinner is more of an evening rarity. Technology has changed the way we communicate of that there is no doubt. However, this has changed how people interact with those closest to them (Decker, 2010). The families, parents, and caretakers are battling for the attention of their children while they themselves are seduced by the same technology. Family dinner time has been reduced to sitting around a table while everyone’s attention is directed to their cell phone (Decker, 2010). Conversations occur electronically, not face to face. What effect is this having on the family, and by consequence, society itself is a concern. Technology is now the integral part of the daily lives of many Americans. Throughout history, society has witnessed many changes in the family dynamic. Recently our society has borne witness to a decline in the family dynamic and it is thought that this is a very dangerous path to continue on (Klorer, 2009). A large portion of this decline is attributed to the unabated saturation of handheld electronics into our lives and homes. While people believe that these types of electronics can indeed provide benefits in our society, the overuse and dependency people have fostered has reached a point of diminishing returns. Quality family interaction has been empirically proven to be beneficial to the development and success of a society’s youth and therefore by extension, society itself (Decker, 2010). Cell phones and other handheld electronics can be used as a useful tool in parenting and family interaction, not however as a substitution. Problem Definition Today’s youth takes part in more after-school activities than ever, and many parents have to go straight from work to soccer practice, piano lessons, or car pools. There simply isn’t enough time available for cooking, and eating is often done on the run. What about the precious few remaining hours of the day? Enter cell phones and other small handheld electronic devices. Even when there is some small amount of free time for families to spend interacting with each other, more often than not this time is spent interacting with some type of the electronic device instead. With research providing empirical evidence of a positive correlation between quality family interaction and parent/child relationships, and a child’s academic success and personal development, we as parents are literally playing an active role in reducing our children’s, and by extension our societies chances of success by allowing this trend to continue. This is not a job for lawmakers and government officials. This is even more personal than a grass roots movement. To change this situation, it must be addressed at the most intimate level, the family unit. Parents must take control of their households, starting with themselves. The New Technology The world is changing with the coming of technology into the contemporary culture which has drastically changed the social norms to incorporate technology into the daily lives of children. Nowadays, it is not unusual for one to see children playing games on their portable video systems whilst at eating places with their parents (Decker, 2010). These trends appear to be appalling and they emerge from the evolving society. Most people are not strangers to the scenarios where a family group sits down to have a meal together, interacting, laughing and swapping stories as they catch up with news, but not certainly with the ones seated with them. These days, it is not strange to have a family member’s cell phone useful on the dinner table. The cell phone is easily within reach to look up for movies times, show off photos, check emails, or talk to one or two calls (Decker, 2010). It is only a few people who o not give a quick glimpse at their cell phones every from time to time. Additionally, the multifunctional cell phones of these days have become a requisite lifeline to the rest whole world. People might expect that the extensive availability of the cell phones enhances interpersonal connections through allowing people to, constantly stay in touch. However, recent studies show that these cell phones can hurt people’s close relationships, such as family (Decker, 2010). Startlingly, it has been found that just having a mobile phone close by without even glancing it, can become so detrimental to people’s endeavors at interpersonal connections. In addition, such technology use is detrimental to good parenting. When parents continuously use their smartphones in front of their children, they break the first rule of parenting, which is showing up (Decker, 2010). Most parents glance at their cell phones whilst out eating at restaurants in the company of their children. In such scenarios, there is a more likelihood for the children to misbehave when the parents are busy paying attention to the devices. Caregivers and parents who also get highly absorbed in the technology devices appear to have less engaged or much negative interactions with the children (Decker, 2010). The digital life of children has turned them into very different creatures. As the society has become connected via cell phones, social networking, and the internet, this capability to contact anyone instantly might pose great risks to the young children. When they interact with each other using the cell phones or internet, such social experience is far different from speaking with people face-to-face. When people communicate in these manners, they are concealed at the back the digital wall that can allow people to make conversations they may not have in person. For example, users of a dating website would be much likely to ask a person to chat using the site rather that they would with face-to-face interactions. Consequently, hiding at the back the digital wall for the media-based interactions has caused today’s children to develop a disconnection from themselves or from even others (Klorer, 2009). Technology has entirely changed the manner in which the people of America communicate and relate including with their children. The technology of these days has become over only using computers at work or checking emails at home (Klorer, 2009). Today’s technology has become a continuous stream of information that flows ...