Technology, Culture and Interpersonal Communication

By: Jamari Graham

Culture refers to the shared knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, values, and experiences of a group of people over generations. Communication is influenced by culture, technology, and interpersonal skills, which can affect human behavior positively or negatively. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat have made it easier to spread cultural values and differing viewpoints. Cultural sensitivity, patience, and effective communication skills are essential to building and sustaining interpersonal relationships with people from different backgrounds. Biases and judgments can negatively impact communication, and technology can cause a decrease in cognitive abilities and interpersonal communication skills. It is important to practice effective communication skills by being a good listener, finding common values, and being aware of body language. Understanding different cultural backgrounds and self-awareness can significantly improve interpersonal communication skills. Human to human contact is seemingly at a decreasing rate due to the advances in current technology. As a result, it is important to familiarize oneself with other cultures and avoid cultural ignorance. Cultural norms are important and can only be shared through interpersonal communication. With 8 trillion text messages sent worldwide in 2017, there is a concern that technology is creating a culture that is permanently dependent on the internet. The new age of culture has shifted towards the internet and has impacted human behavior, communication, and cognitive abilities.

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