Phone+Call+to+Heaven

Name: Lesla Townend Student No: n0601390 Tutor: Abbie Diaz

//“Discuss the impact of information and technology on this generation. How have they been affected? In what ways does this make their experience of the social world different to that of Gen X. Has this affected their health?”//

**Topic** Phone Call to Heaven The health risks of technology use for generation Y.  **Artefact**  The identity of Generation Y has been defined by technology. Their societal needs are met by the infinite opportunities it provides. However, its’ countless benefits may come at a price. The potential negative health consequences may negate any positivity from its use. While it is seen as the way of the future its prolonged use may in fact question the future. This artefact symbolises the detrimental health impact of modern technology. The symbolism of the skeleton and mobile phone is extreme, however the intended message is clear; the long term use of technology may have dire health consequences.

**Public Health issue** When computers, and mobile phones came of age we opened our doors to the world; however, no one anticipated the frailties. These exciting forms of electronic knowledge and sociability were embraced. During a time of rapid advancement there was no perceived harm in maximising the resources technology offered. It has become apparent that endless hours surfing the net, texting, or on-line gaming has had negative health impacts. This incessant use of technology can result in obesity, cyber bullying and consequently lead to social isolation; all precursors to depression. Depression and possible suicide is currently a major health issue for Australian youth. This essay will critically analyse the impact of changes in technology on the psychological well-being of Generation Y.

**Literature Review** Generation Y are often viewed in a positive light. They are mature, ambitious, tolerant, open minded, smart, and concerned individuals (Huntley, 2006). Despite this suicide was still the leading cause of death for this age group in 2007 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011). According to the ABS, this rate had declined from the previous ten years; possibly due to on-line support groups. The ABS also reports that 16% of people aged from 16 to 24 suffered mental illnesses last year. The head of the Orygen Research Centre, Dr Patrick McGorry believes the ABS figures may be underestimated. Dr McGorry states that one in three youths have a chance of developing a mental illness by the age of 25 (McGorry, 2008). He is concerned about the lack of public awareness, support and treatment to combat this problem (McGorry, 2008). The overuse of current technology is supporting this trend. The propensity of obesity and cyberbullying adding to loneliness and social isolation is real. They are all contributing factors to depression and suicide. This has now become a major public health concern (McGorry, 2008). Changes in technology and communication have been happening gradually for decades. However it has only been since the mid 1980’s that these changes have started to resemble what we have now. Since then advances have skyrocketed. By 2007 more than 97% of all telecommunication was carried over the internet, and by 2010 five billion people were using mobile phones (Clark and Roberts, 2010). This has drastically changed the world. Generation Y has grown up with these changes. They have never known life without internet or mobile phones. It has transformed their social world. Generation Y adapts to technical advances more rapidly than their older counterparts and considers the internet and technology as important as basic communication skills. They are technically literate, and are continually connected to digitally streamed information, entertainment, and contacts (Eisner, 2005). This has enabled them to multitask, a skill they have mastered at home, in lectures or at work. These advances in technology have caused a dramatic shift in communication. The days of face to face contact have been replaced by the use of mobile phones, texting, on-line blogging, and social networking. Over half of Generation Y has used a social network such as Facebook or twitter with a third of those using on a daily basis (Abma 2011). Facebook is like a personal diary. Since its’ inception in 2004 it now has over 200 million users (Clark and Roberts, 2010). It has reached near-epidemic proportions (Sheldon, Abad, and Hinsch, 2011). It provides a non-judgemental method of communication between friends, family and co-workers. Those who were previously socially awkward now have the opportunity to interact and connect with many. A paradox now exists with technology and Generation Y. Due to rapid fire communication they feel in touch or connected. However, people, especially those under 30, are spending a great deal of time communicating to people that they are not with, at the expense of those who are actually there (Sheldon, et al., 2011). Whether it’s the novelty of the technology, or our simple need to feel wanted, the human brain seems to register incoming electronic signals as more significant than the signals from someone in front of them. There is also a decrease in physical contact. Every hour on line causes a reduction by 23.5 minutes in face to face contact (Sheldon, et al., 2011). Consequently they may feel disconnected. This negative feeling of relatedness can affect the psychological well-being of individuals. In their study of university undergraduates, Sheldon, et al. (2011) looked at the need for relatedness and its relationship to Facebook. They concluded that although Facebook helped the lonely feel connected, it did not address the primary feelings of social isolation (Sheldon, et al., 2011). The psychological well being of Generation Y is also affected by the public nature of technology. Youths generally believe texting and social networks are private; however privacy is a major concern. The philosopher John Locke said that there were two domains to life, private and public. What is produced by nature is public, but information that someone owns or has acquired by themselves should allow them to keep it from others (Clark and Roberts, 2010)**.** This public forum has opened new doors for bullying. Cyber bullying has affected 20% of young Australians with 47% of the victims having to deal with further bullying in person from the perpetrator (Commission for children and young people and child guardian, 2010). The mental anguish of cyber bullying can impact on self esteem, school attendance and performance. The end result can lead to social isolation and depression. Consequently it has gone to the forefront of concern in schools and communities. It is public for the victim but not the bully. The vastness of the audience, the helplessness of the victim, the permanency of the message and the anonymity of the perpetrator make this a unique problem requiring specialised approaches to alleviate it (Commission for children and young people and child guardian, 2010). A sedentary lifestyle frequently associated with technology use can predispose to obesity. Generation Y have been delivered a lifestyle that encourages weight gain. They experienced a protected childhood full of planned activities, X-box, computers, and were denied the freedom of unrestricted play. This has overflowed into their adult life (Katz, 2007). They are busy people who have embraced technology as a source of entertainment and communication. Consequently their way of life is inactive. This combined with an abundance of food increases their predisposition to obesity. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics the mean body mass index of Generation Y in 2005 was close to 25. A BMI of 25 is overweight (Allman-Fariinelli, 2009). This is an increase of almost one unit of body mass index from Generation X in 1995. If the trend continues the chance of obesity for Generation Y will be greater than that of their parents (Allman-Fariinelli, 2009). Obesity has been shown to positively correlate with depression. A meta-analysis done in the Netherlands of studies examining the relationship between obesity and depression study found a causal effect. The author discussed the theory that low self esteem and social isolation resulted from obesity. Fifty-five percent of obese participants in the study developed depression (Schimelpfening, 2010). Like cyberbullying the associated negative impact on the psychological well-being of Generation Y by obesity can lead to depression and social isolation. **Cultural and Social Analysis** The psychological well-being of an individual can be maintained by protective factors such as social cohesion and integration (Kushner and Sterk, 2005). In previous generations society evolved around the community. Children walked to school, played in the street; everyone knew each other. Communication was reliant on some form of tactile interaction. Society has changed and Generation Y has welcomed the difference. While they embrace the communication technology offers the negative consequences have taken their toll. The aforementioned issues of obesity and cyber bullying encourage the development of social isolation. Although contact with other people is occurring; it lacks tangibility. The youth of today spend an overwhelming amount of time communicating through a metal object. They feel they have friends; many in fact. However, these friends are not physically there when they need them. The self-determination theory (SDT) of motivation is focused on three innate psychological needs required for well-being (Sheldon, et al., 2011). These are autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Under SDT cultural and societal factors can either undermine or facilitate a person’s initiative. It was argued that if, relatedness, autonomy or competence is unsupported it could have a detrimental impact on the well-being of those involved (Sheldon, et al., 2011). Social networking was identified by Sheldon, et al. (2011), as a trouble-free approach to a social experience. It provides the superficial feeling of relatedness but fails to meet the deeper needs required for psychological welfare. Generation Y may believe they are integrated in a cohesive society however, for those socially isolated by obesity, cyberbullying, or other factors the possibility of depression is high. Emile Durkheim theorised that social cohesion is related to the health of a population and established that suicide rates were higher in societies that were less cohesive. Durkheim believed social cohesion provided the best protection against self-destructive behaviour (Kushner and Sterk, 2005). While Generation Y may be viewed as an optimistic cohort the reality is that the possibility of mental health issues are high. As a society we have a responsibility to address the issues affecting the well-being of our youth. Dr McGorry believes mental illness is everyone’s business. He has stated that the global cost of mental ill health could reach over US$16 trillion over the next twenty years. The responsibility for reform not only rests on the government, but civil society and the private sector (McGorry, 2008). Young people, namely generation Y is disproportionately affected. These youths are in the prime productive years of their lives and the impact of any form of mental illness can diminish their productivity (McGorry, 2008). Technology is fun, useful and it’s addictive. It has transformed lives however, there needs to be awareness of its pitfalls. <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">**Artefact Analysis** <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Generation Y lives and breathes modern communication but at a cost. The artefact symbolises the dehumanisation that occurs with the use of technology. We have lost the ability to interact on a personal level and communicate by superficial means. The artefact represents the extreme consequences of social isolation, depression, and potential suicide. The reliance on technology is slowly killing this cohort whether socially, psychologically or physically. This can be prevented; death does not need to occur. Personally I have enjoyed this style of assessment. It was challenging to incorporate different styles of research and thinking. The research into Generation Y has been enlightening. Generation Y are often portrayed negatively. They are perceived as lazy, impatient, image conscious, materialistic; conversely it is not the case. They are tolerant, concerned, creative, intelligent, and mature amongst other things. There may be a generational shift however I feel it is positive. They value their relationships with people and are a pleasure to be with. As a society we need to embrace what they have to offer and make sure that they are heard.

<span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">References <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Abma, D. (2011). Generation Y stays home, financially savy. //Edmonton Journal, 7,// 1. <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Allman-Farinelli, M. (2009). Gen Y needs to get active to avoid obesity. //The Drum, Australian Broadcasting Commission.// Retrieved from [] obesity/1630592 <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2007). Retrieved from [] <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Clark, L., Roberts, S. (2010). Employer’s use of social networking sites: A socially irresponsible practice. //Journal of Business Ethics, 95,// 507-525. doi: 10.1007/s10551- 010-0436-y. <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Commission for children and young people and child guardian. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.ccypcg.qld.gov.au/index.aspx <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Eisner, S. (2005). Managing generation Y: quarterly journal. //Advanced Management Journal, 70//(4), 4-15. <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Huntley, R. (2006). World according to Y : Inside the new adult generation. [|Ebooks Corporation], Unwin and Unwin. <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Katz, B. (2007). An opportunity like Generation Y hasn’t been dealt to marketers since the baby boom hit. //Food Processing.com.// Retrieved from @http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2007/203.html. <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Kushner, H., Sterk, C. (2005). The limits of social capital: Durkheim, suicide, and social cohesion. //American Public Health Association, 95//(7), 1139-43. <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">McGorry, P. (2008). Suicide Research. Retrieved from [] <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Ruder, T., Hatch, G., Ampanozi, G., Thali, M., Fischer, N. (2011). Suicide announcement on Facebook. //Crisis, 32//(5), 280-282. doi: 10.1027/0227-5910/a000086. <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Schimelpfening, N. (2010). Obesity and depression are linked, say researchers. Retrieved from [|http://depression.about.com/b/2010/03/03/obesity-and-depression-are-linked- say-researchers.htm]. <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'courier new',courier,monospace; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Sheldon, K., Abad, N., Hinsch, C. (2011). A two-process view of facebook use and relatedness need satisfaction: Disconnection drives use, and connection rewards it. //Psychology of Popular Media Culture,1//(S), 2-15. doi: 10.1037/2160-4134.1.S.2. A Review of Issues impacting on the Mental Health of Indigenous Australians

Well done, this is a very interesting depiction of the alcohol problem in indigenous Australia. Unfortunately attitudes for this problem are mostly negatively stereotyped. The solution is difficult but not impossible. History shows the aborigine drinking habits have evolved from early settlement days. Not until they get a purpose for existence and respect can the problem be solved. We need to appreciate why they drink. Very interesting. 'Face of Evil' - The Stigma Associated with Mental Illness It was a very good read with some insightful research. It is interesting to read about the stigma and discrimination associated with mental health. Until society addresses this issue the victims will continue to be those already suffering.