EFFECTIVE SPEECH COMMUNICATION

Section 7

Pastor, Aaron Richard L. May 04, 2020

Prof. Mai G. Reyes Formative Assessment

An Era of Virtuality
2nd Analysis
In a study conducted by Amanda Lenhart in 2014, it is said that the modern age of
technology has made virtual friendship a phenomenon in the present. The study was conducted
online with teenagers ages 13-17 as proponents. The three factors of the study include the
friendship on: Texting, Gaming, and Social media. With each factor having its own separate
results.  Upon analyzing the data and results, these are the implications.

Texting has been present since the age of mobile phones. According to the study, 88% of
teens text their friends on an occasional occurrence, and 55% of teens do so in a daily basis. This
is an implication of how the power of the digital age can further connect people no matter the
distance between them. Updating peers through texting by using smart phones is a great away to
maintain touch with friends. Most friendships survive because of texting.

  Online games are activities that friends do together in order to bond in the comfort of
their own homes, no matter how far the distance may be. In the study, the boys are the dominant
users of this platform to bond. 42% play in person with their friends and 55% play on the
internet. 78% of gamers tend to connect with their current friends and 55% feel more connected
to strangers. This implies that most gamers tend to bond with their friends in their own homes,
without the need to meet them. The anonymity of the person.

Social media is the peak of online activity. According to the study, 58% of teens have
unfriended or unfollowed someone they used to be friends with, and 45% of teens have blocked
an ex-friend. 63% of girls who use social media or cellphones have unfriended or unfollowed an
ex-friend, compared with 53% of boys. Which implies that girls have more of the emotional
attachment to online elements compare to boys.

Overall, the study implies that the virtual world of the modern era has moved friendships
into a more ‘distanced comfort’ relationship.