We now live in a world where technology has made quite an impact in almost all aspects of our lives. It has the ability to make life more convenient. But at the same time, technology also added other complications. Some of the things that we never needed before became more and more essential to everyday life. We never needed to stay online several years ago. But now, people just cannot go by without going online even for just a day. Sometimes, the convenience also becomes a burden at the same time. It is also the same with how technology can have an effect on relationships.
While technology can help provide some conveniences, it may also affect a relationship in a negative way. In this world of Facebook, Twitter, emails and mobile phones, people may think that the different modes of communication today will help add a certain level of closeness to the relationship. However, according to a recent study, it may do just the opposite. The more channels of communication that couples use, the more it may do damage to a relationship. In this era of digital communication and online social networks, the different means of communication and the number of communication threads to maintain them may have a negative impact on a primary relationship.
In the said study by Oxford researchers over 24,000 participants in marital relationships took part. The participants have access to using 10 different communication channels available today. The researchers found out that the more communication channels that couples use did not translate to their relationship becoming even stronger. On the contrary, those who reported using more communication channels even reported decreasing satisfaction in their relationships.
The study indicates that the increasing number of communication channels available today can only help relationships up to a certain point. After a certain time, their use may become too overwhelming that it may start to undermine other important relationships.
Couples should still know what their priority is and where their loyalties lie. They need to realize that maintaining different communication lines may reach a point where they begin to have a negative impact to a relationship. They need to be aware that use of technology may have a certain limit and they should not try to go beyond that.