Use of Information & Communication Technologies and its Effects on Family Communication: From Adoption to Acceptance

Abstract

The digital era has revolutionized human communication where the face-to-face communication is increasingly taken over by the technology-mediated interactions and such relations have a profound impact on family communication and relationships with others. The research paper deals with the most common applications of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) including the impact on family communication among University students. A quantitative survey research methodology was used to collect data of 388 students (117 girls and 271 boys) at NUST University Islamabad through stratified random sampling and analysed with the aid of questionnaire in the SPSS. Results indicate that communication via the ICTs has considerably a positive influence on the communication between family members. However, on the other hand, unlike what people believe, family communication could be facilitated by innovations and learning through ICTs to an extent as well as entertainment. Nonetheless, the issue of overuse brings about the importance of implementing means of balancing online based and real-life communications. The solution proposed to the above issue is to introduce so-called "tech-free" dinner or a meeting time to the family to establish closer connections with each other and use digital technologies to connect emotionally, especially with the family members who must be in a different location.