The Negative Impacts Of Smartphones

Are you convinced that smoking is a killer? Consider the negative effect of smartphones. Or is technology able to control us unknowingly? Technology has seen a boom in the last decade, with a particular focus on mobile technology. Although smartphones have made our lives easier and brought some benefits, the negative effects of mobile technology on student performance, self-regulation, and social interaction has had a detrimental impact on their academic performance. Smartphones have a greater negative impact than their positive effects on student life. First, smartphones have a negative impact on students’ education. This is particularly true when it comes to grammar and language. However, some opponents claim that this is because students use innovative language in their smartphone applications to improve their spelling and writing skills.

They may be correct in a limited degree. They claim that smartphones have improved pronunciation and increased vocabulary. However, students’ spelling and grammar have been affected by texting or using ‘abbreviations’ in SMS. Students are also distracted by their smartphones, which can distract them from paying attention to the lesson. Many students are unable to turn off their phones during class. Some studies have shown that smartphones can actually improve a student’s ability to think critically. This is true even though the goal of this discussion isn’t to determine if smartphone use improves students’ critical thinking but rather whether it distracts them from learning and therefore affects their academic performance. Second, smartphones can have a direct impact on student social interactions. According to several researchers, social influence is a key construct that influences both usage intent and behavior. Therefore, they are important in consumer adoption of technology. (Kulviwat. BrunerII. & Al-Shuridah. 2009; S. Lee.2013; Ting. Lim. Patanmacia.Low. & Ker. 2011; Imtiaz. Arif. & Wajeeha. Aslam. 2014). Smartphone users can become self-sufficient, especially for students, who don’t need to be accompanied by anyone. They spend most time on social media, such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. They build friendships and relationships, but mostly in a virtual space. Students may lose interest in communicating with their instructors. They may choose to communicate through chat applications, send messages, or express their opinions with a single tick. Furthermore, smartphones can be connected to the Internet, which makes things even more complicated.

Students, for example, don’t bother asking their professors hard questions. They instead use Google to quickly search for answers. These answers, though taken from the internet, might not be the best answer. The smartphone can have a negative impact on a student’s mental health and social life. They become less able to think and use their brains as much to solve complex questions. They use Google to search for everything they need. As they lose the desire to communicate with others, students may become more self-centered. They may choose to be alone over social interaction, which is a frightening reality. The smartphones are starting to degrade our students’ self-regulation abilities. According to Wajeeha Andam and Imtiaz Arif, in 2014, smartphones accounted for only 15% of Pakistan’s mobile industry. Smartphone demand exploded quickly after three major mobile network operators opened their new networks to Pakistan. Within a year, this number will likely rise to over 50%. Perhaps it is this positive outlook that United Mobile recently launched its very own smartphone.

The country’s telecoms imports also reflect the optimism of mobile phones makers before the spectrum sanction. In February 2014, mobile phone imports rose 20% to Rs 6 Billion, compared with Rs 5 Billion in February 2013. An opponent might suggest that smartphone use has given them enormous advantages. You can connect with your friends through the Internet quickly, at less cost, and without any restrictions. However, (CHI, 2007), found the opposite. Based on students’ addiction to smartphones, interviews were conducted at a Korean university. The results were shocking.

The average student answered that their smartphones were still being used even though they wanted it to. They continued to use their smartphones involuntarily. They would continue to use them involuntarily, which shows their lack of self-control. Instead of being in control of the device themselves, the smartphone assumed control. It’s as if smartphones have become our addiction. We no longer control our destiny. Einstein once stated, “Imagination matters more than knowledge.” Knowledge is not unlimited. The world is surrounded by imagination.” Technology has taken over our imaginations as well as our knowledge. We are now the slaves to our own custom-made gadgets. We trust technology more than we trust ourselves.