Introduction
Background of the Study
The world has incurred critical, extensive, and rapid development as far as technology is concerned. On daily basis, new gadgets are discovered by the technological specialists to ease, support and complement human life (Egger 2010, 291).
Importantly, the history of technological obtained significant meaning during the 1980s when Apple computers started manufacturing high-quality devices with greater capabilities and better experience than the competitor’s products (Bennett 2011, 116).
Where this development has taken place in general terms and transformed the popular culture technologically, it has equally affected the family unit bearing in mind that the devices are mostly used in the family context (Reiser 2009, 276).
As such, it has led to critical implications on the interaction of family members and the manner in which they communicate to each other. This research focused on how the family unit transformed in the technological era. In addition, it showed how these devices changed communication and routes of interaction.
Research Scope of the Study
Whereas the technological advancement has taken place extensively and affected almost all aspects of human life, this paper sought to provide a step-by-step discussion on how technological devices transformed the family unit with advancement in technology.
Importantly, it focused on the effects of devices such as televisions and personal computers on the cohesiveness of the computers. In this light, the research paper emphasized the changes that took place from 1980s to 1990s.
This emphasis was based on the fact that there were robust inventions during this period as far as technology was concerned.
Aim and Objectives
The aim of a research is basically the broad focus of a research for which it seeks to achieve at the conclusive end. On the other hand, the objectives are subsets of the research aim which shows how the broad focus will be achieved.
In other words, they provide understandable and more particular ways of attaining the stipulated aim. The aim of this paper is to discuss how the home-based entertainment changed the family unit to a device-centered unit. The objectives are as shown in this list presented below this paragraph.
- To determine the historical process of changing the family unit to a device centered unit.
- To identify the main players, such as people and devices, that led to the attainment of this condition in the family unit.
- To determines some of the family aspects and attitudes that may have contributed or accelerated the paradigmatic shift.
As stated before, the question of how the family unit changed is a broad-focused area of interest. It cannot be discussed from the limited perspective of identifying the steps and stages of the process. Instead, it must be tackled from the idea of the involved players and the attitudes that led to the condition.
Research Question
- What is the historical process that took place to change the family unit into a device centered unit?
- What are the main players that contributed in this process to transform the family to a device centered unit?
- Which family-based attitudes contributed to the transformation of family into a device-centered unit?
Significance of the Study
A family is the basic unit of the society since it comprises of the simple but critical definition of relationships. Indeed, the manner in which people behave towards other colleagues in the wider society is affected by the way the individuals were brought up at the family level.
As such, it becomes crucial to investigate the trends that take place in our families from both internal and external perspectives. Importantly, the relationships within families are determinants of effective communication. In fact, breakdown of communication in a family can lead to devastating moral degradation in a society.
For example, a drug addict who does not have a suitable platform to interact and share his or her problems with parents can degrade completely. In fact, the paradigm shift can be blamed for the moral degradation that is being experienced in the present times worldwide.
In addition to this, the study seeks to track the history of this shift from the beginning. This will help to determine all the factors that led to the change in family orientation. As such, it will be the basis and foundation of providing a solution to the society in order to reinstate the family cohesion and bonds.
Understandably, it is very difficult to cure something that one does not acknowledge. Indeed, one needs broad and deep knowledge about the problem before presenting effective and credible solutions. In that regard, therefore, this study is an avenue to obtain the necessary knowledge.
Evidently, this study seeks to study the separating aspect of technology in the family. Interestingly, however, the study will provide insight and ideas on how the same technology can be used to unite family members and reinstate the original family structure.
This is based on the fact that the world cannot reverse technological advancements for the sake of creating better family bondage. However, technology can be manipulated in order to ensure that the original cohesiveness and family unity is reinstated.
As such, this study will be a very crucial inquiry that will help to form the basis of inducing the right change and attitude in the family. As such, parents and the children started consuming different forms of entertainment according to the modernity and trend differences.
As time progresses, each individual in the family regardless of the age warmed up towards personal tastes. This tendency increased the lift between member of the family regardless of whether they were parents or children.
In other words, it drew the family members from each other and pushed them towards their own entertainment preferences, tastes, and interests. Due to such individualized personal interests, the technological devices became personal gadgets of use and the interests towards them became different all together.
Literature Review
Family Status before Technological Advancement
A number of authors touched on some of the important aspects regarding the importance of family bonds and technological effects. It was evident that such authors sought to describe some of the critical changes that happened with special interest to interaction and basically communication.
In one case, Gray (2010, 76) focused on the status of the family during the post-war period. During this period, there were various life-promoting undertakings that made life more enjoyable.
For example, the education promotion program, which availed education to children in the society, supported family development and involvement with each other. Parents harbored little stress due to the poverty reduction efforts and health promotion initiatives alongside the postwar baby boom (Groening 2014, 67).
The reduced stress enabled them to concentrate on raising children. Indeed, they interacted with them for longer period of times to provide protection and nourishment. In addition, parents secured employment easily so they could afford money to go for leisure in the theaters.
In different study conducted in 1950s, it was evident that entertainment and family lives were inseparable aspects. In this case, the study describes the transformations that took place in the family due to emphasis put on entertainment.
In essence, the postwar period provided enough time for the family members to have fun since the country got relieve (Katz 2009, 114). In addition, the country was not experiencing critical strains as far as finances were concerned.
In that regard, therefore, citizens could afford enough money to cater for their basic needs and attend the entertainment premises together. As such, the family is depicted as a cohesive and well coordinated unit.
Family Changes Caused by TVs
Whereas the family was very intact during this period, the narrative changed with time due to the introduction of TVs. Murray (2009, 167) explains the challenges posed by the television in the world upon introduction and consumption of content from the boxes.
During the 1970s, the TVs eliminated the traditional orientation of the families that was originally prevalent in the society. Couples slept together away from their children to watch some of the classified programs such as the Mash where the actors showed the belly buttons.
The popular TV shows, such as the Pong, were aired so that people started buying the boxes at a very high rate. The advancement wooed more people to buy the TVs in the country. In 1980s, there was very insignificant development as far as technology was concerned.
In this case, television remained the major invention of the world with few developments such as the VCR. Whereas the development of the TVs as a device was minimal, it was evident that the content was developed extensively during this period.
As such, the developers discovered amazing technological innovations such as the radio stations, new music tracks, and tape players. Some of additional developments included the innovation of tapes, and Atari among many others.
As a result, this became a very critical age for the family cohesion because availability of the devices alongside the content started drifting the family members from each other. Indeed, the 1980s is the period where the family bonds started weakening due to this shift of attention.
However, this period did not play a fundamental role as the later 1990’s. This condition was occasioned by the fact that some of the commodities, such as the Apple’s McIntosh, were very expensive to afford.
Indeed, Apple was one of the major manufacturers and its high prices reduced the prevalence of the computers and their usage in the popular culture.
Advanced Technological Innovations
However, the 1990’s became the true periods of technological innovations. During this period, the personal computers became more affordable than ever before. The personal computers affordability was reinforced by the availability of internet in the country and households.
People could surf on the internet and get entertainment from online platforms. Additionally, the TV shows became more interesting but they included content with violence and sexual incidences (Petrie 2009, 127).
A critical review to this period indicates the start of visible separation of the family especially when it comes to watching sexual content. In essence, parents cannot watch sexual content alongside their children. As such, the television became an effective social separator in the family circles.
In addition to this, the Oxford explains the entry of commercialism during this period. Due to the increased materialism and commercial oriented society, the time used by families to have fun and watch content together reduced drastically.
Parents did not have enough time to move out with their children. This played a very crucial role to eliminate the bonds that existed in the families. In fact, it reinforced the original forces of family-based entertainments.
Invention of Video Games
Finally, the invention of video games became a critical game changer in the family circles. In the first, instance, the TV shows separated the parents from their parents because the toddlers could not be allowed to watch violent and sexual contents.
The invention of the Atari video game came to intensify the individualization of the entertainment in the families. In this case, the children were drawn to the Atari video games (Singer 2001, 79). As such, this eventuality provided two completely parallel entertainment interests and tastes.
As such, the children drew satisfaction from the video games while the parents concentrated on the TV programs. In this situation, therefore, the families could not meet anymore to watch the TVs.
In addition, the low prices of the devices in 1990s enabled the parents to afford both the TVs and the video games (Sultanik 2012, 59). Even in the present times children and parents have been divided by this parallel interest.
Methodology
Research Philosophy
This research employed the philosophy of interpretivism during the collection, analysis and interpretation of data. A research philosophy refers to the mechanisms in which a researcher interprets data and make conclusion. In this case, interpretivism allows the use of qualitative data but does not invalidate the use of quantitative information.
On the contrary, the positivism is a research philosophy that allows the use of quantitative data only. However, the use of interpretivism neutralizes this ideology by allowing researchers to analyze data that cannot be quantified.
In this research, the information concerning the historical background and process of transforming families into device centered units is value-laden. As such, only qualitative techniques can be used to extract the necessary information
Research Approach, Design and Time Frame
This study followed the deductive research approach to complete the process and make conclusion. In this case, research questions were posed and the hypothesis stipulated in order to predict the possible outcome. The data was then collected and analyzed in order to answer the research questions.
With regards to research design, the study adopted the exploratory method. This design capitalizes on inquiring into a problem. Indeed, it seeks to obtain more information about the problem identified in the society in order to proceed and find relevant solutions.
Lastly, the time frame was longitudinal in nature since the data used was drawn from previous event dating from 1980s. As such, it focuses of a long period of time from which amounts to about 35 years.
Research Strategy
In regard to the research strategy, it is evident that the study adopted the survey method. In this case, the study involved respondents who had vast knowledge and interest in history and technological transformation. They were interviewed by administering questionnaires that had a range of questions.
With the responses provided by the respondents, the data was analyzed and conclusions were made. In addition, the secondary information, which was drawn from the literature review, was used to answer the research questions.
The combination of primary and secondary research provided reliable and extensive information regarding the transformation of family unit by technological development.
Population and Sampling
The population comprised of technological specialists and historians since they were considered as relevant respondents as far as the study was concerned. However, the population is understandably extensive since there are very many technologists and historians with the required data.
However, the population cannot be involved entirely because of the time limit and cost issues. As such, sampling becomes important since it enables the selection of few people in the population to participate in the study. In this case, therefore, random purposeful sampling was used to collect the sample population.
This technique was a combination of two techniques including the purposeful and random sampling. Random sampling is used in order to ensure that the respondents are not selected in a biased manner to get some predetermined results.
On the other hand, purposeful sampling was applied by selecting people who were adults in the 1980s.
Data Collection and Analysis
The data was collected using the questionnaires which were administered during detailed interviews with the respondents. In this regard, the information provided was recorded used thematic gadgets to ensure that all information was available in its authentic nature during the analysis.
As such, the analysis was conducted by reviewing each of the filled questionnaires in details. In essence, each of them was analyzed singly in order to get the individualized approach to all the questions posed to the respondents.
Results
Discussion
In order to conceptualize the expectations of this research study as well as the findings that were made, the data was analyzed according to the three questions posed in the introductory part of the research. As such, this was presented in this chapter in terms of the three research questions.
What is the historical process that took place to change the family unit into a device centered unit?
According to both the primary and secondary research, it was evident that the post-war period was both peaceful and productive. It was indicated that the nations was regaining its financial stability gradually. As a result, the parents could afford money to take their children to theater or purchase Television boxes.
In essence, entertainment at home and in the theatres was a family undertaking since the members went to the theatres together. Alternatively, they sat around their TVs to watch the movies together. However, the robust introduction of TVs and personal computers in 1908s to 1990s led to massive discovery of content.
This content could not be viewed by the parents and children simultaneously due to the sensitivity of the content. As a result, parents bought private TVs for the bedroom to watch content with sexual ascent or aspects of violence. This separated the parents from the children since they watched and consumed different content.
The final blow to family cohesion was made when the Atari video games were discovered. The children warmed up to the Atari videos while the parents separated themselves by using the bedroom-based TVs.
As such, the further introduction of mobile devices individualized entertainment such that all the family members enjoy different content.
What are the main players that contributed in this process to transform the family to a device centered unit?
Indeed, the main player that contributed to the elimination of family cohesion is the simultaneous discovery of TV boxes alongside the content. Indeed, the Atari videos and violent-laden content made it difficult for parent to watch TVs together with their children.
The mobile devices individualized the entertainment industry and intensified the separation of family members and the creation of device-based family units.
Which family-based attitudes contributed to the transformation of family into a device-centered unit?
Whereas technology has led to the massive separation of family unit and the creation of a device-centered orientation, there are various family-based attitudes that led to this condition. Indeed, the families did not control the type of content that they could consume.
As such, they consumed all the content provided by the developers. As a result, they did not have the control to resist the unfortunate technological twist.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The development of technological devices and the subsequent creation of diverse content led to the emergence of different entertainment preferences. The critical review of literature has indicated similar findings showing the before the introduction of TVs and personal computers, people enjoyed themselves together.
During the postwar period, mothers concentrated on raising their children. However, the advancement in technology in 1980s to 1990s led to the reduction in the price of computers and TVs.
Indeed, enabled households to acquire more than one TV so that children and parents could watch separate shows. In addition, the invention of videos intensified the separations and classification of preferences in accordance to age.
In regard to recommendations, there several advocacies that can be proposed especially when it comes to the use of technology to reinstate family cohesion.
- It developers should invent family-based applications which helps members to share content using their mobile devices
- Media should come up with shows that provide more lessons concerning some of the problems incurred by families. This will ensure that family members are encouraged to live a cohesive and integrated life.
Works Cited
Bennett, John. The Televisions. Columbus, OH: Luna Bisonte Prods, 2011.
Egger, Garry. Technology in the 20th Century and Effect on Culture. North Ryde: McGraw-Hill, 2010.
Gray, Jonathan. Watching with the Simpsons: Television, Parody, and Intertextuality. New York: Routledge, 2010.
Groening, Matt. The Simpsons Family History: A Celebration of Television’s Favorite Family. New York, NY: Abrams, 2014.
Katz, Elihu. The End of Television. Its Impact on the World so Far. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2009.
Murray, Susan. Reality TV Remaking Television Culture. New York: New York University Press, 2009.
Petrie, Kristin. Televisions. Edina, Minn.: ABDO, 2009.
Reiser, Stanley. Technological Advancement and Cultural Implications. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009.
Singer, Dorothy. Handbook of Children and the Media. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications, 2001.
Sultanik, Aaron. Cinemulacrum: A Secret History of Film and Video for 1960 to 2010. Lanham, Md.: University Press of America, 2012.