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David Brunk
Professor Malcolm Campbell
English 1103
4/2/2015
Disconnected: Have Cell Phones Hindered Modern Day Society?
If you were born before the invention of the cell phone, you probably remember what
society was like before communication was immediate. If you wanted to talk to someone, you
would have to mail a letter or even go see them in person. You wouldnt have constant access
to someones whereabouts; what they are doing, who they are with, and even what they are
eating. The cell phone has revolutionized our way of life. We can now know all of this
information in an instant. All of this technology seems to be a fantastic improvement on the
surface, but a more profound analysis might raise up issues that have been overlooked through
this rapid technological growth. Does our ability to communicate instantly through cell phones
diminish the quality and value of face-to-face interaction? What are some of the positive and
negative effects of cell phones on society? Are there potential health risks from cell phones?
These questions have yet to be answered as we are moving forward with technology but
forgetting to observe the possibly detrimental effects of our progress.
As humans, one of the things we desire most is that deep connection with other people.
Whether it is with a family member, a significant other, a friend, or even co-workers, it is

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something that we need. In modern day society, cell phones seem to have taken away from our
face-to-face interaction. If you need to get in touch with someone, you can simply send a text
and contact them instantly. But is this really the same as talking to them in person? You cannot
hear their tone of voice or see their body language through a text message . In other words,
some of the emotional aspect of human interaction has been stripped away. On the flip side,
using a cell phone while you are with other people rather than by yourself can put a damper on
those relationships. According to CNN, researchers from the University of Essex found that
people who engaged in personal discussions when a cell phone was nearby- even if neither was
actually using it- reported lower relationship quality and less trust for their partner. (Kerner,
CNN.com) Trust has become a big issue with cell phones. The cell phone enables one to
reconnect with people from the past, whether it is an old friend from high school or a distant
relative. But this easy access poses a threat to relationships because of the ability to reconnect
with a past romantic partner. According to a study by Huffington Post, 25% of people confessed
to using their cell phone to discreetly flirt with another individual who was not their partner.
(Gray, HuffingtonPost.com) So what does this mean? Does this mean that everyone who
purchases a cell phone for themselves is going to be incapable of communicating effectively
with another person face-to-face? Certainly not. It is, however, something important to think
about if a cell phone becomes a replacement for social interaction rather than an
enhancement.

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Cell phone use has not only posed a social issue in society, but also a safety issue. The
temptation to pull often causes people to send text messages when walking across the street or
even driving. Distracted driving has become a large issue ever since the invention of the cell
phone. Every day in the United States, 9 people are killed and more than 1153 people are
injured in a car crash that reported having involved a distracted driver . (Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention) State and federal laws have been drawn up in response to these high
rates of distracted driving accidents. Currently, 45 out of the 50 states have laws that ban
texting while driving. (Governors Highway Safety Association)
On the other hand, there is an abundance of benefits that have stemmed from the
invention of the cell phone. Global communication has gone from a distant possibility of the
future to reality in a shockingly short amount of time. This means that communication between
nations can be instant, speeding up diplomatic decisions. News of what is happening on
another continent can become common knowledge to the everyday citizen of a completely
different country. There are also numerous benefits to the individual. People who have speech
issues can use voice control on their cell phone to communicate efficiently. Businesses can
increase productivity with the ability to intercommunicate with its employees faster . Since
texting and driving has become a controversial topic in America, cell phone companies have
implemented hands free options onto cell phones, enabling one to send a text or play music
while still focusing on the road. There are endless ways that cell phones have positively affected
our society.

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Some people have been concerned about possible health risks of using a cell phone.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cell phones do emit
radiofrequency radiation to send signals. This type of radiation is different than X-rays, which
have been confirmed to be harmful to humans. But there is no scientific evidence available that
suggests that cell phones cause cancer. Studies are currently being conducted to determine
whether or not there are health risks from using a cell phone. If there are health risks, however,
they are assumed to be minimal. Certainly the benefits of having a cell phone outweigh these
miniscule risks. If you find yourself in an emergency situation, you will be glad that you took the
possible risk and had a cell phone available to call for help.
So why are cell phones so addicting? Why do we feel the need to pull the device out of
our pocket every time there is dead air in the room? Is our digital profile more important than
our actual physical reality? If you look around on a college campus you will find that the
majority of students walking by you are looking down, scrolling through on their phones . A
recent study published in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions found that female college
students spend an average of ten hours a day on their cell phones while male college students
spend an average of eight hours. (Almendrala, Huffingtonpost.com) This study reveals
something about our nature. Some people attribute their cell phone addiction to the ability to
make your image better than it actually is. People use their cell phones to escape the physical
reality, which is very demanding. People also dont like to feel disconnected from the world. If a
person isnt receiving the latest updates from their favorite celebrities or sports team, they feel

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uninformed. Some researchers suggest that this desire to feel connected to other people
constantly is simply human nature, while others say that it is an addiction . In a 2013 blog post
for Psychology Today, psychology professor Ira Hyman, Ph.D., writes that researchers may just
be observing the rise of a new norm in social interaction: immediate, hyper-connected, and
here to stay. (Almendrala, Huffingtonpost.com) In other words, being constantly updated and
talking to your friends via text messages throughout the day may just be our new way of life. Is
this a good thing or a bad thing? Certainly staying in touch with loved ones and relatives and
friends who live farther away seems like a good idea. Being able to see breaking news about
what is happening near you and getting weather updates instantly can save you a lot of time .
With all of this information readily available, your time can be spent doing more important
things like getting some work done or spending time with friends and family. But constantly
checking your phone can become and addictive behavior. It can put a strain on your
relationships and even cause you to miss important things in a class lecture . I know this from
experience.
To conclude, as we are ever progressing as a race; continuing to develop newer
technologies, there is sometimes a disconnection between the rate at which we are progressing
and the rate that we analyze how this progression affects our society. When cell phones were
invented, it set wheels into motion for an exponential growth in the next few years. We were
able to develop futuristic technology that we never thought possible. The cell phone can
decrease the quality of our interpersonal relationships and sometimes even ruin them. There

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are endless positive effects that they have had on our society including: improvement on
communication, helping everyday life, and helping us stay in touch with people. There are also
some negative effects. They have become a safety issue. People become distracted and cause
accidents on the road. I think that when observing these effects, the positive effects certainly
outweigh the bad and the invention and implementation of cell phones into society is a step
forward.

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Works Cited
Almendrala, Emma. Our Creepy Attachment to Cell Phones Could be an Addiction.
Huffingtonpost.com. Web. 1 April, 2015.
Distracted Driving. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web. 29 March, 2015
Distracted Driving Laws. Governors Highway Safety Association. Web. 1 April, 2015
Frequently Asked Questions About Cell Phones and Your Health. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. Web. 28 March, 2015.
Gray, Emma. Relationships and Technology: Is Texting Ruining Romance?
Huffingtonpost.com. Web. 27 March, 2015.
Kerner, Ian. Your Smartphone May be Powering Down Your Relationship. CNN.com. Web. 29
March, 2015