The Big Disconnect Summary

Source:
Steiner-Adair, C. (2014). The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age. Reprint. HarperCollins.
Source Summary:
This book The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age written by Steiner-Adair brings the attention of families who are turned to the screen, children continually texting their friends, parents working online around the clock, everyday life is suffering a massive transformation. Easy availability to the Internet and social media has erased the limitations that protect children from the unpleasant aspects of adult life. Parents often feel they are losing a significant connection with their children. Children are feeling lonely and alienated.
The author gives data backing up his thesis that says individuals are possibly more to communicate over a cell phone than they are in person.This opinion piece says that this is likely to become more of a problem as more and more generations are born into this social age. She uses a study conducted for an online casino called Yazino to backup her claims. This study found that 11 percent of people would rather sit on their couch than go out with friends if they have the opportunity to go out. Also people tend to want to show other people that they are having fun rather than just having a good time with their friends. Though the author leans towards face-to-face communication as being most effective in interpersonal relationships. Fowlkes then list some suggestions to help readers get away from their smart phones and computers so they can continue to have active face-to-face relationships. The biggest petition the author made was to ethos; Fowlkes used many examples from more credible sources. She built the credibility of her argument by adding research done by others that aided in proving her point. She also added links to the research that she cited so readers can check up on her facts. This paper is a great addition to my research because it gives me an in site into the negative effects of technology.
The influence is not just affecting children on the surface of the way a child thinks but is wiring the brain in different ways than older generations. Children who are using technology at an early year are lacking the skills they need to be focused and imaginative due to the rise of the internet enhancing the ability to scan information fast and easy. This article is useful for my paper because the author Jim Taylor is a doctor in psychology who specializes in business,sports and parenting. Dr. Taylor received his Bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College and earned his Master’s degree and Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Colorado. He is a former Associate Professor in the School of Psychology at Nova University in Ft. Lauderdale and a former clinical associate professor in the Sport & Performance Psychology graduate program at the University of Denver. He is currently an adjunct faculty at the University of San Francisco and the Wright Institute in Berkeley.Jim Taylor has provided workshops at elementary schools, high schools, parents and education associations, youth-sports programs, and performing-arts organizations around the country which is further proof that he is