>>> IN THE AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA, WE ARE CONSTANTLY CONNECTED TO
EACH OTHER, TEXTING, POSTING, AND SNAPCHATTING WITH OUR PHONES
CONSTANTLY BY OUR SIDES, BUT STUDIES ARE SHOWING EVEN IN THIS
AGE OF HIGH-TECH COMMUNICATION, YOUNG PEOPLE ARE FEELING LONELY
AND LEFT OUT.
I SAT DOWN WITH MARK PACHUCKI, AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT UMASS
AMHERST, TO LEARN MORE.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE COME TO US AS SOCIOLOGISTS AND UNDERSTAND THIS
IS PART OF HOW WE LIVE IN SOCIETY TODAY, THAT EVERYONE IS
FULLY CONNECTED.
WE'RE ONLINE ALL THE TIME, AND I THINK A LOT OF STUDENTS ARE
REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT IT, AND THEY ARE TROUBLED BY IT, THAT WE
ALWAYS HAVE OUR PHONES OUT.
WE ARE IN FAMILIES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE THEM OUT AT THE DINNER
TABLE.
YOU WALK AROUND THE UMASS CAMPUS, AND IT'S RARE TO SEE A
STUDENT, AND FRANKLY SOME ADULTS, AS WELL, WHO ARE NOT
WALKING WITH THEIR PHONES OUT. AND KIND OF YOU ALWAYS WONDER
HOW PEOPLE ARE COORDINATING AND NOT CRASHING INTO ONE ANOTHER.
>> RIGHT.
AND I THINK WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THIS NEW STUDY THAT JUST CAME
OUT, A REPORT BY A SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR FOUND
THAT THE PERCENT OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO FELT LONELY
INCREASED BY 27% SINCE 2012.
AND YOU WOULD THINK, WELL, WAIT A MINUTE, WE'RE ALL CONNECTED,
EVERYBODY'S TALKING TO EACH OTHER ON SOCIAL MEDIA, HOW CAN
THIS BE?
>> THAT SHOULD BE GOOD, RIGHT?
THERE'S GOOD THINGS THAT COME OUT OF CONNECTION.
HUMANS ARE HARD-WIRED TO CONNECT WITH ONE ANOTHER, IT'S PART OF
OUR GENETIC MAKEUP, FROM WHEN WE'RE BORN, THERE'S BONDING WITH
OTHER PEOPLE, AND WE REALLY -- WE NEED OTHER PEOPLE TO SURVIVE,
BUT ALSO TO THRIVE.
AND WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, OTHER RESEARCH SHOWS THAT PEOPLE
WHO HAVE MORE CONNECTIONS TO OTHER PEOPLE, MORE MEANINGFUL
CONNECTIONS, LIVE LONGER AND THEY HAVE A HIGHER QUALITY OF
LIFE INTO THEIR LATER YEARS, SO I THINK THIS IS ESPECIALLY WHY
THIS PARTICULAR STUDY THAT YOU'RE MENTIONING IS SO
TROUBLING, BECAUSE IT ELUDES TO SOMETHING THAT IS PROBLEMATIC
WITH THE SOCIAL FABRIC THAT YOU HAVE THESE SCREENS, YOU HAVE
THESE ELECTRONICALLY MEDIATED INTERACTIONS THAT ARE DOING
SOMETHING ACTUALLY QUITE DAMAGING, MANY OF US THINK, TO
HOW WE LIVE WITH ONE ANOTHER, HOW WE COEXIST, HOW WE INTERACT
WITH ONE ANOTHER.
>> AND WHEN YOU SAY DAMAGING, YOU MEAN PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY
YOUNG PEOPLE, DON'T KNOW HOW TO GO OUT AND HANG OUT, DON'T KNOW
HOW TO JUST, YOU KNOW, CALL UP A FRIEND AND DO SOMETHING IN A
SOCIAL SETTING?
>> I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT.
I THINK THE NUMBER OF YOUTH -- AND I'LL USE THE TERM "YOUTH"
BROADLY TO SAY ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 25.
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY PICK UP THE PHONE AND
CALL ONE ANOTHER HAS DROPPED STAGG
STAGGERINGLY SINCE EVEN THE '90s.
THE NOTION THAT IF YOU AND I WERE 12 YEAR OLDS, YOU WOULD
CALL ME AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ME ON THE PHONE, THAT'S
EVEN SOMEWHAT ANTIQUATED TO THINK THAT WAY.
WE KNOW STUDENTS, SORRY, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND ALSO COLLEGE
STUDENTS, ARE A LOT MORE FLUID TEXTING AND BEING ON SOCIAL
MEDIA AND INTERACTING THAT WAY, SO I THINK SOMETHING IS LOST
WHEN -- WHEN YOUTH ARE NOT LEARNING HOW TO INTERACT WITH
ONE ANOTHER, SIT ON THE COUCH TOGETHER, HAVE A CONVERSATION,
INSTEAD OF BEING ON YOUR DEVICES IN THE SAME SPACE.
>> RIGHT.
THEY'LL GET TOGETHER, BUT THEN THEY STILL HAVE THEIR PHONES
OUT.
I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT THE STUDY FOUND WAS THAT SENIORS
FELT LEFT OUT.
THERE WAS AN INCREASE BY 30%.
AND YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS HAPPENS WITH SOCIAL MEDIA, A GROUP OF
KIDS GETS TOGETHER, A FEW KIDS ARE NOT INCLUDED, BUT STILL IT'S
UP ON THE SNAPCHAT STORY AND EVERYBODY CAN SEE IT.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, KIDS ARE REALIZING THAT THEY DIDN'T MAKE
THE CUT, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT EVENT.
>> NO, AND THAT CAN BE VERY DAMAGING, I THINK,
PSYCHOLOGICALLY.
THERE'S AN INTERESTING THING ABOUT THE PHASE OF ADOLESCENCE.
THIS IS A REALLY INTERESTING DEVELOPMENTAL PERIOD OF OUR
LIVES, BECAUSE SOCIALLY, THERE'S A LOT OF CATCHING UP THAT
HAPPENS.
THERE'S A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT THAT HAPPENS.
YOUR BODY, YOUR BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS, ARE DEVELOPING AT A
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT RATE THAN YOUR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, WHICH
IS DIFFERENT THAN YOUR NEUROLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT, SO YOU
HAVE THESE THREE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS THAT ARE REALLY ON
DIFFERENT TIME SCALES AND LEARNING HOW TO INTERACT WITH
ONE ANOTHER.
AND KIND OF THE STATUS EXCLUSIONS THAT CAN HAPPEN, THAT
CAN BE VERY DAMAGING TO SOMEONE'S WELL-BEING, BECAUSE
YOUR BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS ARE CONNECTED TO YOUR NEUROLOGICAL
SYSTEMS AND YOUR SOCIAL SYSTEMS.
>> AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT FEELING OF LONELINESS AND
FEELING OF BEING ISOLATED, AGAIN, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE
CONNECTED TO EVERYBODY, HOW DO KIDS DEAL WITH THAT DAY-TO-DAY?
IT CAN, OBVIOUSLY, LEAD TO OTHER PROBLEMS DOWN THE ROAD.
>> RIGHT.
I THINK DAY-TO-DAY, SOMETHING THAT COLLEAGUES OF MINE AND
MYSELF, YOU KNOW, TRY TO DO, I THINK MANY OF US TRY TO SAY TO
OUR STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, NO DEVICES IN THE CLASSROOM, EVEN
COMPUTERS.
I THINK HAVING A LAPTOP OUT CAN BE DISTRACTING TO OTHER PEOPLE,
IF IT'S NOT USED WITH CARE, AND SO I THINK THE MORE THAT WE
CANNOT BE ON OUR DEVICES ALL THE TIME, I THINK THERE'S A SOCIAL
GOOD THAT COMES FROM THAT, AND I THINK THAT GOES FOR PARENTS, AS
WELL.
>> I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP PARENTS, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN
I'M HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS, I'M GUILTY AS CHARGED, MY PHONE
IS WITH ME ALL THE TIME, CHECKING IT.
A LOT OF TIMES MY KIDS WILL SAY, MOM, YOU HAVE YOUR PHONE OUT.
WELL, I'M CHECKING SOMETHING FOR WORK.
NOT AN EXCUSE.
THAT'S AN EXCUSE I'LL GIVE THEM, BUT NOT AN EXCUSE AND CERTAINLY
NOT GOOD BEHAVIOR FOR THEM TO MODEL AFTER.
>> IT'S NOT GOOD BEHAVIOR TO MODEL, I AGREE WITH THAT, BUT
I'M ALSO GUILTY, AS WELL.
I HAVE VERY THICK GLASSES AND MY OLDEST DAUGHTER SAYS TO ME, YOUR
PHONE IS TOO CLOSE TO YOUR FACE, AND KIDS REALLY PICK UP ON WHEN
YOU ARE USING A DEVICE.
I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON ALL OF US TO, I THINK, REDUCE THE
AMOUNT OF TIME WE USE OUR DEVICES, PUT THEM AWAY, PUT THEM
DOWN.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE MISSED FOR TEN MINUTES IF YOU LEAVE IT
IN THE OTHER ROOM WHILE YOU HAVE DINNER.
LEAVE IT OUT OF THE BEDROOM WHEN YOU GO TO BED.
ALARM CLOCKS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE WE HAD
CELL PHONES.
>> I KNOW.
THAT'S THE OTHER THING.
I NEED IT TO WAKE UP IN THE MORNING.
IS IT AS DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE THIS IN COLLEGE AS IT IS FOR A
KID WHO'S IN MIDDLE SCHOOL?
DO THEY STILL HAVE THOSE SAME, YOU KNOW, FEELINGS OF BEING
LONELY OR THOSE SAME FEELINGS OF BEING LEFT OUT, YOU KNOW, AND
NOTICING THAT THROUGH WHAT'S POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA?
>> I THINK FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, IT'S IN SOME WAYS HARDER AND
WORSE.
I THINK THAT'S -- THAT'S A REALLY HARD TIME TO BE IN
SCHOOL, TO BE LEARNING ABOUT DIFFERENT SOCIAL CLIQUES, AND IN
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MANY CHILDREN, THERE'S MORE OF A
COLLECTIVE "WE'RE ALL IN IT TOGETHER," BUT SIXTH, SEVENTH,
EIGHTH GRADE, THAT'S WHEN GROUPS START SPLITTING APART AND
HIERARCHIES START TO FORM, AND THERE CAN BE A SENSE OF SOME
STUDENTS LEFT OUT FROM THAT.
THAT'S KIND OF AN AGE PERIOD.
WE THINK OF THIS AS EARLY ADOLESCENCE, THAT'S A PERIOD OF
LIFE WHEN WE COULD REALLY BE DOING A LOT TO RE-ENFORCE GOOD
BEHAVIORS AND TO TEACH KIDS OF THAT AGE, YOU KNOW, IT'S OKAY TO
BE YOURSELF, TO BE DOING -- TO BE DOING THINGS WITH OTHER
PEOPLE IN PERSON, YOU KNOW, IF WE COULD BE, YOU KNOW, IN AN
IDEAL WORLD, TEACHING KIDS OF THAT AGE ESPECIALLY THAT, YOU
KNOW, STAYING AWAY FROM SOCIAL MEDIA IS A GOOD THING, DESPITE
SOME OF THE BENEFITS.
IT'S FUN.
IT'S ANOTHER CHANCE TO CONNECT, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT THE
STUDY THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING, IT ALSO CALLED ATTENTION TO
THAT.
AT THE POPULATION LEVEL, WE SEE THIS DECREASE IN FACE-TO-FACE
INTERACTION TIME.
AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IS THOSE PEOPLE WHO
ARE CONNECTING ONLINE ALSO HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF CONNECTION
FACE-TO-FACE, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT OF A CONTRADICTION IN TERMS,
BUT THE STUDY WAS QUITE WELL DONE, AND IT WAS VERY RIGOROUS.
>> SO IT IS A USEFUL TOOL, YOU REACH OUT TO PEOPLE YOU HAVEN'T
TALKED TO IN A LONG TIME, BUT THERE'S A BALANCE, RIGHT?
PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL YOUR FRIENDS INSTEAD OF TEXTING ALL
THE TIME.
THERE'S GOT TO BE OTHER PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR US TO KIND
OF NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS WHOLE WORLD.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK GETTING TOGETHER, GETTING TOGETHER, NOT HAVING
PHONES AROUND, ENCOURAGING THAT FOR, YOU KNOW, AMONG OUR KIDS
AND AMONG OUR STUDENTS.
TEACHING THEM THAT YOUR LIFE IS NOT GOING TO END IF YOU DON'T
LOOK AT YOUR PHONE FOR THE NEXT HALF HOUR.
THAT'S A HARD THING, BUT THE RESPONSIBILITY STARTS WITH ALL
OF US.
>> RIGHT, AND I THINK THE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPONENT ALSO, I THINK,
IS HARD, BECAUSE YOU POST YOUR BEST PICTURE, RIGHT, ON SOCIAL
MEDIA, YOUR BEST SELF, AND I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE LOOK AT
THAT AND THINK THERE'S NO WAY I COULD LIVE UP TO THAT PERSON,
BECAUSE LOOK AT HOW PERFECT THAT PERSON IS.
>> AND THAT'S A DIFFICULT THING.
I THINK SHOWING OURSELVES IN MORE UNGUARDED MOMENTS, YOU
KNOW, I LEFT THE HOUSE THIS MORNING KIND OF IN A RUSH, AND
THAT'S OKAY, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT LOOKING MY BEST TODAY, AND -- OR
IF I AM, IT'S -- IT DOESN'T MATTER EITHER WAY.
I THINK SHOWING, I THINK, OURSELVES, WARTS AND ALL, IS AN
IMPORTANT PART OF BEING REAL WITH ONE ANOTHER.
AND I THINK THAT'S A LESSON THAT, I THINK, A LOT OF EARLY
ADOLESCENTS WOULD REALLY BENEFIT FROM, AND I KNOW THEY TEACH
THIS.
I THINK SOME MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS THAT I KNOW, THEY ARE
REALLY, REALLY GOOD AT THIS, AND THIS IS A MESSAGE THEY REALLY
BELIEVE IN. ♪
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