FAMILY RELATIONS AFTER THE EMERGENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SINGLEFAMILY AND JOINT FAMILY SYSTEMS

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/grr.2020(V-I).57      10.31703/grr.2020(V-I).57      Published : Mar 2020
Authored by : Tanveer Hussain , Iqra Imtiaz , Ashraf Iqbal

57 Pages : 544-551

    Abstract

    This study's main aim is to explore the impact of social media on family ties. A quantitative method of survey is used to gather data. The survey is conducted both face-to-face and through emails. One hundred respondent take part in this research through a survey while media displacement theory implemented on present research. Statistics indicate that people living in a single-family group use more social media than people living together. Findings also say people are using social media to escape family problems. There is a small disparity between the people who live in both family systems on whether or not social media eliminates the original family. The present research suggests more awareness in better usage of social media to avoid family values destruction.

    Key Words

    Social Media; Family Communication; Survey; Media Displacement

    Introduction

    Internet apps converted into social media, and this becomes an important segment of people lives. It has both positive and negative effects on an individual level and societal level. It has affected from emotions (Oh et al., 2020) to political participation (Boulianne, 2019), education (Shi et al., 2020), and civic life (Boulianne, 2019). It has reshaped the way we communicate not only with our peers but also within the family. In Pakistan, we have both a joint family system and single-family system existing parallel. This study investigates to the extent social media has affected both family systems. It provides a comparative analysis of a survey conducted on the family members of both sides. 

    Social media distract people from others; it makes it difficult to communicate in person; it, sometimes, creates anxiety and causes depression (Droser, 2017). This study aims to examine the influence of social media in family communication, whether social media is replacing the original family relations by reducing face to face interactions. This study provides an insight into current status family communication due to the existence of social media. The reason to choose comparative analysis is to investigate whether the effects of social media have a relationship with the number of people around us. In a society like Pakistan, people have a strong family bonding. They have strong and effective communications that make their bonding even stronger; however, the family system determines the way people communicate.

    Review of Literature

    Suter (2016) argues about and conceptualizes the notion via critical family relationship studies. The way study paradigms are described as the sector's capacity to establish substantial, detailed bursaries. FCP postulates that family members' contact values are directly linked to their family members' actions of communication. Essential facets in communication and conformity orientation that influence the functions of the family are for FCP theorization (Suter, 2016). Family contact systems are 'uniquely kept worldviews, which offer the person family members a meaning and thinking system' (Schrodt et al., 2008). They guide the interpretation and interpretation of partnerships and engagement between persons. Koerner and Mary Anne's (2002) discussed in a general theory of family communication that how these systems affect relationships. The FCE and the everyday contact model are yet to be examined through the study (Koerner & Mary Anne, 2002). FCE requires visual guidance under various communicative behavior types. FCE will theoretically affect the styles of subjects that are discussed by communities every day. Communities affect the reaction to adversities or threats through the creation of resilience. Families provide for and motivate children with the resources required to deal with stressors at the individual level. The whole family structure may respond to trauma more broadly in ways that reinforce or weaken the links between trauma and trauma (Turner & West, 2011). Two analytical perspectives illuminate the essential aspects of communication between parents. The emotion control theory of Gottman (2001) focuses on the features of parental communication, which form the ability of children to recognize their emotional experiences and effectively react to them, how parents communicate their own emotions and react to them (Gottman, 2001). Study has been focused on assessments of the stage models or approaches to family life in relation to growth. Phase models presume that the society transitions linearly in which societal adjustments occur is meant to be a time of repair, or a plateau, where progress is held in motion. Braithwaite, Olson, Golish, Soukup, and Turman (2001) establish three ways to restrict thought about interaction change by models of development or stage. They claim that they sometimes describe acts as though they were about to take place in a series. Method or Hierarchical separation templates, which define different trajectories, suggest that changes may not need to be produced by default (Braithwaite et al., 2001). A turning point is a transformational occurrence that changes a relationship in some important way. Trajectory research includes a memory and the perception by participants of turning points. Of order for researchers to use turn points and then evaluate trajectories from subjects, the retrospective interview method or the RIT should be used. The investigator documents the important moments of the diagram relationship. Via the development of diagrams of the relationships, the turning points are extensively analyzed. The family resilience system of Walsh (2003) describes those family mechanisms and frameworks that drive conflict and dysfunction (Walsh, 2003). Immune societies prefer to follow frameworks of the belief that are immune to hardship. It requires an optimistic approach and incorporates faith or transcendence. The modern environment is generated by daily chat or repetitive speech behaviors that form part of personal relationships. The social world. The chief means by which social patterns shape identities, planned behavior and habits are the daily speech in personal relationships. It has described the kinds of social talk topics popular to families.

    Social media Networking is basically an act of engagement while internet based life is the device used to speak with a mass crowd (Hartshorn, 2010). Internet-based life is the stage that offers people the chance, to the interface, utilizing two-way correspondence, which means, that any individual who has online records, can impart their insights with other web-based life clients

    Social media is used as a bridge between the flow of information and the audience. If used wisely, its side effects can be avoided, but the past few years it has been observed that a lot of people 2-3 fake personality and social media which leads to the development of complex among people. 

    We are living in aerobic friends on social media keep changing every other day, but this is something that is being constantly observed and practised for a good span of time. It is extremely important to normalize understanding the fact that we cannot afford something I should be comfortable with the life that we have rather than being jealous of what are the people do and let their lifestyle impact us negatively.

    Social relationships are a basic component of human life. A social relationship grants a source of support and guidance to the public, which leads to positive results in man’s life.  But otherwise, the absence of these relations conducted social isolation in man’s life which are experienced by many people at some point in their lives. Social media that empowered users to share the content of social media as well as participate in social networking like communicating, texting, sharing images, video sharing and direct connecting around the world. Social media is designed to make us feel more linked with the cheapest rates with fast accessing to the world. 

    The usage of social apps has both negative and positive impacts on our generation. The 21st century can be seen as the rapid use of technology like individuals walking while listening to their iPods, people at restaurants using mobile phones are habitual. The majority of children are growing up with the feeling lonely as they spend a high amount of time on social sites instead of physical activities and playing with others age fellows. Social isolation defined as the objective reasons for a situation and encouraged consumers across the globe. Social isolation refers to the lack of relationships with other people. Loneliest depicts as a state experienced by the man, which is in an unpleasant condition. The public might think that social media connected us to our loved ones 24/7 hours, but a new study has discovered which depicts that it’s actually making us feel lonely. Loneliness was defined as the negative impact of a cognitive activity between the qualities of the relationship. There is an enlargement in the flow of work like psychology, sociology, and anthropology, which broadened the mechanisms of loneliness. (Jenny, 2006). According to the study, Girls are much more likely to complain of loneliness when they see pictures and posts on social media sites of other age fellows enjoying themselves. In fact, the problem with social media is that people only share the good things about their lives. 

    The past study said that the longer you spend time on social networks, the lonelier you're likely to be. According to American Journal of Preventative Medicine “the people who used social media accounts for more than two hours per day were twice are go through the experience of social isolation than those who consumed less than half an hour”(Lindsay Doddson, 2017). According to the BBC report, it was noticed that social media give the impression to unite more people and updated them. It reduces the face-to-face interactions process amongst the consumers because they use most of their time on these online social apps. Contrarily, social media also cause some serious mental health issues. The current thought is that one of the major drawbacks of social Internet users is dealing with psychosocial and psychological problems such as loneliness, anxiety, complexity, depression, etc.  This study exposed that consumers who were introverts are likely to become addictive Internet user which affect negatively.

    Communication behaviours influence the family communication dynamics through Cognitive structures that (FMEs. FCE may impact forms of daily speech in relations because the communication environment of the family is focused on 20 categories of everyday speech. Families can build strength and adaptability by communicative creation of an image and family history. Narrative sensory forming is at the heart of the social building of family identity. Family history or tales reflect the understanding of difficulty, blame transfer, and perceptions of control by family members. As groups talk of common problems in general, they face both opportunities and limitations. Families are most likely to learn from family experiences, while emotional interaction is part of their common behaviour. Family systems are more responsive to distress, and traumatic situations as common identities are successfully designed to give meaning to difficult circumstances. Much daily talk research focuses on dyadic connections. Schrodt and colleagues examined the frequency of frequent chat between the step-parents and children inside step-families. In daily issues, cognitive structures, which are important in the family communication setting, may explain differences. In dispute-preventing settings, rumours, moaning, and confrontation may not be as common. In family relationships, how family interacts affects the level of satisfaction. Foster families have to build and sustain feelings of family membership and participation through contact. Research has shown that open and supportive communication is essential for creating a common sense of familial identity, claim writers. Warm and supportive talks are often linked to positive partnership performance. Open communication allows people to feel more comfortable and linked. Foster parents are strongly dependent on a transparent, welcoming and free-flowing conversation to promote shared parental identification and close relationships with their foster child. Family satisfaction is the feeling or perception of a person about the quality of relationships and family life. Scholars in dyadic relations as well as in party happiness have been reported. Family happiness can best be understood by combining the interpersonal relationship's relational nature with the dynamics of small group contact. Schrodt (2009) found a positive association of happiness with the climate of family expressiveness (Schrodt, 2009).

    Impact of Networking Sites in our Life

    Social media Platform have a few of the other kind of effect on the way of life of the People. People are dependent on Social media. People are using all the time, their life influenced, by Social media. People also find the trends by using Social media Platform. Sometimes they make the most amazing impact of social media locales for certain individuals is the utilization of curtailed words like “d” for “the” and in like manner. Some individuals utilize oppressive words to vent out their emotions on these organizing locales, and the equivalent has been found in their own existence recently.


    Media Displacement 

    The Media Displacement theory was originally proposed at McCombs (1972) and is focused on finite resources such as time and assets. Using one tool deprives others of resources; individuals use other methods to a lesser extent after implementing new digital technology; subsequent theoretical developments separate symmetrical displacement from practical displacement. The definition of symmetric substitution means total substitution: if one behavior is expanded, another activity is believed to be diminished (Kayany & Yelsma, 2000). Yet real resettlement allows coexistence. The concept of media displacement suggests that if the roles of an old medium are substituted by those of an existing one, the former can thrive by focusing on specific technology or contribution new features (Newell et al., 2008). 

    Replacing networking offers this science's base. The meaning indicates that people simply lack time and energy, and interest in one communication activity inhibits pleasure in other affairs. Thus, by introducing a new communication method, people can have less freedom for other communication tasks. Networking displacement theory is based on finite time, resources, and money. Therefore, using one method deprives others of resources; people use other channels less when introducing new communications technologies. 

    To some degree, displacement concepts reflect leading approaches in communication research. Symmetric substitution represents the technological approach that replaces existing media networks in a specific historical period with new media where and when they fail to perform their social functions. Practical displacement theory is based on the approach to uses and gratifications that addresses the presence of an aggressive consumer audience trying to meet their psychosocial needs through selective media and specific content use (Nimrod, 2019). This model suggests a dialectical system of interrelationships between a new medium's technological features and its functional need to communicate with an older medium. According to this model, when a new medium emerges, two developments or means of antithesis emerge displacement of the older medium by the new one due to the functional equivalence between them, or creation of conditions conducive to their reciprocal interaction with little realistic interchangeability between them, probably convergence if the two media converge. 

    This study applies the theory of social alienation, where people are supposed to losing participation in family and society events. Individuals take little interest in other activities and experiences, using excellent social media tools. They 'e neglecting communication skills through social media and smartphones. They stay busy with social media sites and lose interest in other family relationships.


    Hypotheses

    H1: People living in a single-family are more likely to use Social Media than people living in a joint family

    H2: People living joint family are more likely to feel that Social Media is replacing family

    H3: People living in a joint family are more likely to use social media to avoid family issues

    Methodology

    Quantitative survey technique is used to gather sample data to determine social media impacts on families. The survey is conducted via face-to-face emails. A total of 230 respondents were contacted, and data were obtained from 100 respondents living in the joint family and single-family system. Survey respondents identified via social media accounts. 

    The population area selected for this analysis is the district of Lahore, including at least 11 towns from each city. The researcher used basic random sampling, and the sample size was 100. Twenty households, six to eight females and six to eight males from each town out of nine in Lahore District were chosen. A 17-question questionnaire is used to collect data. This includes open-ended, close-ended questions. 

    Results

    Table 1. Correlations

     

    Family System

    Social Media Daily Usage

    Family System

    Pearson Correlation

    1

    -.321**

    Sig. (2-tailed)

     

    .001

    N

    100

    100

    Social Media Daily Usage

    Pearson Correlation

    -.321**

    1

    Sig. (2-tailed)

    .001

     

    N

    100

    100

    **. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

     

    Correlations: Family System, Social Media Daily Usage

    Pearson correlation of family system and social media daily usage = -0.321
    P-Value = 0.001

    In addition, the printouts show that the interaction frequency between the variables is weak and negative (r= -0.321) and that the correlation coefficient is a weak linear downhill (negative) relationship slightly close from zero (P < 0.001). We may also infer that (-0.321) is explained by the family system by the negative difference in the daily use of social media.

     

    Table 2. Model Summary

    Model

    R

    R Square

    Adjusted R Square

    Std. The error of the Estimate

    1

    .286a

    .082

    .072

    .4839

    a. Predictors: (Constant), Family System

     

    The table1 of the production shows the summary of the model and general fit statistics. We note that our model's adjusted R2 is 0.072 with the R2=.082, which means that the linear regression accounts for 82% of the data variance. The Durbin-Watson d=.4839, which is between the two critical values of 1.5 < d < 2.5 and so we can conclude that there is no linear autocorrelation of the first order in the results.

     

    Table 3. ANOVAa

    Model

    Sum of Squares

    df

    Mean Square

    F

    Sig.

    1

    Regression

    2.039

    1

    2.039

    8.708

    .004b

    Residual

    22.951

    98

    .234

     

     

    Total

    24.990

    99

     

     

     

    a. Dependent Variable: SM Replacing Family   b. Predictors: (Constant), Family System

     

    The next table is the F-test, the F - test in linear regression has the null hypothesis that the two variables do not have a causal relationship (i.e., R2=0.004). With F= 8.708 and 99 degrees of freedom, the test is very important, so we can conclude that our model has a linear relationship between the variables.

     

    Table 4. Coefficientsa

    Model

    Unstandardized Coefficients

    Standardized Coefficients

    t

    Sig.

    B

    Std. Error

    Beta

    1

    (Constant)

    1.902

    .148

     

    12.862

    .000

    Family System

    -.288

    .098

    -.286

    -2.951

    .004

    a. Dependent Variable: SM Replacing Family

    The following table shows the coefficients of regression, intercept and significance of all coefficients and intercepts in the model. Our linear regression analysis estimates that the linear regression approach is = 1.902 -0.288* x. Please note that this does not translate in there is -0.288 additional murders for every -2.951 additional inhabitants because we ln transformed the variables.

    In linear regression analysis, the test tests the null hypothesis that the coefficient is 0. The t-test finds that both intercept and variable are highly significant (p < 0.001), and thus we might say that they are different from zero.

     

    Table 5. Independent Samples Test

     

    Levene's Test for Equality of Variances

    t-test for Equality of Means

    F

    Sig.

    t

    df

    Sig.

    (2-tailed)

    Mean Difference

    Std. Error Difference

    95% Confidence Interval of the Difference

    Lower

    Upper

    SM to Avoid Family Matter

    Equal Variances Assumed

    0.027

    0.87

    -0.082

    98

    0.935

    -0.0082

    0.1

    -0.2065

    0.1902

    Equal Variances not Assumed

     

     

    -0.082

    90.624

    0.935

    -0.0082

    0.0999

    -0.2067

    0.1904

     

    The t-test compares mean of the same variable between the two groups. In our case, the mean writing score is contrasted between the Social Media group and the family system group. Ideally, these subjects are selected randomly from a wider subject population. The test assumes the two populations have the same variances.   The p-value definition is the same as for other forms of t-tests.

    The t - statistic of 98 degrees of freedom is-.082. The corresponding two-tailed p-value is 0.935, which is greater than 0.05.   We assume that the disparity between Social Media and the family system category in writing implies is different from 0.

    Discussion

    This research study is about the family impact of social media. Sample selected was the district of Lahore and its nine cities. Literature shows that social media affects people's lives greatly. In the one hand, it has encouraged people by communicating who live far away, it helps in education, it has reshaped political debates, but on the other hand, it has generated problems such as people spending more time using social media that separates them from their closed ones like families. This study explored social media's role in family communication. In Pakistan, we have current side-by-side single-family and joint-family structure. This research contrasted all groups using social media. Studies found that people in single-family systems spent more time using social media. The explanation behind this is that they don't have enough people around them to connect, so they get overwhelmed on social media. People living in a joint family structure, on the other hand, have more people around them, so they don't waste much time on social media. Findings endorse this study's first hypothesis. 

    Results also supported the second hypothesis, which deals with the perception of people living in the joint family about social media 's position. Social networking is thought to undermine family relationships. Statistical test results indicate that they believe social media causes distance between real relationships, but people living in single-family environments believe social media does not create distance. It can be concluded that both groups have different perceptions of real relationships, leading to different opinions on it. 

    Also supports the third theory. People in a traditional family structure face more family issues and use social media to prevent them. They conclude that more in-person contact causes more issues, while people in single-family environments have different experiences. They think contact in-person doesn't cause problems. Both groups have different opinions on almost every topic. People who used to have in-person experiences on a daily basis may be expected to believe that social media greatly affected their lifestyle and way of communicating with others. 

    Conclusion

    This research aims to know the impact of social media on family relationships. Individuals lose their family and friends. This research has shown that social media plays a detrimental role in the relationship between the majority of individuals with other family members. Research issues such as social media have a negative effect on individuals' mental health, and this research question has been acknowledged, many individuals respond to "yes" social media psychologically negatively. Another research question about social media takes people away from family problems that have also been acknowledged, and people admit that they don't pay attention to family issues because they're involved in social media environment. Next research question is people losing communication skills in joint families to which answer majority said yes, less answer no and answers were rarely neutral. The fourth issue is a daily check-up of social media impacting relationships with other single-family members; there are more individuals that say they are continually looking at texts, status updates that take them away from parents/children. Last research question is open-ended and about the view of individuals that, if they minimize the use of social media, they will give their families more time. They think that and the use of social networking platforms will get them closer to their families. This can be inferred that while social media has a positive role in human life to bring them closer to the world, there are also negative impacts of extensive use of social media on human mental wellbeing and relationships with their own family members, whether it is a shared family system or a single-family system. 

References

Cite this article

    APA : Hussain, T., Imtiaz, I., & Iqbal, A. (2020). Family Relations after the Emergence of Social Media: A Comparative Analysis of Single-Family and Joint Family Systems. Global Regional Review, V(I), 544-551. https://doi.org/10.31703/grr.2020(V-I).57
    CHICAGO : Hussain, Tanveer, Iqra Imtiaz, and Ashraf Iqbal. 2020. "Family Relations after the Emergence of Social Media: A Comparative Analysis of Single-Family and Joint Family Systems." Global Regional Review, V (I): 544-551 doi: 10.31703/grr.2020(V-I).57
    HARVARD : HUSSAIN, T., IMTIAZ, I. & IQBAL, A. 2020. Family Relations after the Emergence of Social Media: A Comparative Analysis of Single-Family and Joint Family Systems. Global Regional Review, V, 544-551.
    MHRA : Hussain, Tanveer, Iqra Imtiaz, and Ashraf Iqbal. 2020. "Family Relations after the Emergence of Social Media: A Comparative Analysis of Single-Family and Joint Family Systems." Global Regional Review, V: 544-551
    MLA : Hussain, Tanveer, Iqra Imtiaz, and Ashraf Iqbal. "Family Relations after the Emergence of Social Media: A Comparative Analysis of Single-Family and Joint Family Systems." Global Regional Review, V.I (2020): 544-551 Print.
    OXFORD : Hussain, Tanveer, Imtiaz, Iqra, and Iqbal, Ashraf (2020), "Family Relations after the Emergence of Social Media: A Comparative Analysis of Single-Family and Joint Family Systems", Global Regional Review, V (I), 544-551
    TURABIAN : Hussain, Tanveer, Iqra Imtiaz, and Ashraf Iqbal. "Family Relations after the Emergence of Social Media: A Comparative Analysis of Single-Family and Joint Family Systems." Global Regional Review V, no. I (2020): 544-551. https://doi.org/10.31703/grr.2020(V-I).57