Persuasive Research Assignment Proposal

In contemporary society, a proliferation of devices that allow users to access various technologies has become a growing issue in society. The increased prevalence of smart phones over the past decade has had a particularly large impact on how people interact. For many families who need to remain in communication throughout the day, it has become practical for parents to give children phones as well. The distractions that these phones offer coupled with the potential dangers present with unfiltered access to the internet makes this issue one which must be addressed as quickly as possible. Parents must continue to understand more about smart phones and the apps and networks they make available to children on a constant basis. This paper will thus specifically be tailored to this demographic of consumers and in order to do so the focus will be placed specifically on an appeal of pathos and use examples as well as hypothetical scenarios which parents can relate to. Statistics will provide as supplementary argumentative devices in order to ground the emotional appeal in fact. Opponents will likely attempt to point to the positive effects of granting children access to a smart phone but the inclusion of facts about how these devices are a distraction and a potential gateway to dangerous interactions will likely require the opposition to seek out a common ground, one which will likely include a proposed solution of seeking compromise in what technology children will be given access to, when they will be allowed to use it, and how parents will monitor the use.

Annotated Bibliography

1. Clarke-Pearson, K. “The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families”. Pediatrics, 2011. Accessed from http://research.fit.edu

The purpose of this article was to inform parents about the different technologies available to young people in today’s society. The authors suggested that cell phone usage in particular could be both damaging to a teen’s well-being as well as helpful at the same time. The audience, presumably parents, can see that phones give young people a better chance to keep in touch with adults and friends but also gives them the opportunity to expose themselves to peer-pressure related decisions such as sexting.

2. Calvert, C. “Sex, Cell Phones, Privacy, and the First Amendment: When Children Become Child Pornographers and the Lolita Effect Undermines the Law”. Commlaw Conspectus, 2009. Accessed from http://scholarship.law.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1446&context=commlaw

This source was focused primarily on explaining how cell phones can put children at a legal risk for texting naked pictures of themselves to one another, a growing trend among adolescents and teenagers. The audience was meant to be parents concerned about the potential dangers of cell phones and the author used legal examples and case history to express a logical appeal.

3. Divan, H., Kheifets, L., Obel, C., & Olsen, J.“Cell Phone Use and Behavioral Problems in Young Children”. Epidemal Community Health, 2010. Accessed from http://www.avaate.org/IMG/pdf/NINOS_Cell_phone_use_and_behavioural_problems_inIech.2010.115402.full.pdf

This source was an interesting look that examined whether or not cell phone usage by parents determined if their children would have behavioral issues. The behavioral issues that stemmed were not necessarily the fault of the children who use the cell phones but instead was caused by the children having already seen their parents get distracted by phones and choosing to mimic their behavior. The article asks the reader to use introspection to determine if they may be the source of behavioral problems regarding cell phones.

4. End, C., Mathews, M., Wetterau, K., & Worthman, S. “Costly Cell Phones: The Impact of Cell Phone Rings on Academic Performance”. Teaching of Psychology, 2010. Accessed from http://psy.psych.colostate.edu/research/spring/article4.pdf

This study aimed to determine if the presence of cell phones in the classroom was detrimental to the academic performance of students. The authors attempted to appeal to the audience with an ethos-oriented approach that derived conclusions from well-designed methods.

5. Coffey, K., & Obringer, S. “Cell Phones in American High Schools: A National Survey”. The Journal of Technology Studies, 2007. Accessed from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ847358.pdf

This study was designed to look at whether or not children who used cell phones in the classroom were being disciplined if the phones were used in a distracting manner. The authors used a survey to find that while schools did have policies to deal with phones in place, they did not have ones that were contemporary or applied to teachers and administrators using phones.

6. Mascheroni, G &Olafsson, K. “Mobile Internet Access and Use among European Children”. Net Children, 2013. Accessed from http://eprints.lse.ac.uk

This was a comprehensive look at how children in Europe used phones. The authors proposed that their were healthy reasons for using phones and that parents could implement policies with their children that allowed the phones to be utilized in a conducive manner. This was a paper based on an appeal of logos as well as several proposed solutions.

Persuasive Research Essay

The issue of cell phone usage among children is one which is strictly related to contemporary times as this form of technology has not been around historically. In the short time that cell phones have been accessible to the public, however, their capabilities have evolved and adapted in a rapid manner. Initially, cell phones were marketed strictly to adults who could use the convenience of a communication tool at their disposal regardless of location. The latest models of phones being released to the public, however, now offer users a wide range of services, many of which appeal to young people. Social networks such as Twitter and Facebook are easily used on the cell phone platform in addition to the presence of text messaging and photo sending inherent in all of these devices (Clarke-Pearson & O’Keefe 800). The responsibility it requires to use these phones in a mature manner without allowing them to overwhelm or distract is one which many young people struggle to deal with. This assignment will argue that the responsibility to maintain a cell phone is one which is ultimately too great for children in today’s society and after examining the history of how cell phones emerged coupled with the pro’s and con’s of these phones for this demographic their must be several steps taken by society to better safeguard children from dangerous phone usage.

When cell phones first were introduced to society in the late 20th century, the public was eager to embrace this new and groundbreaking technology. The first models of phones which were released had relatively simple capabilities, limited mainly just to sending and receiving phone calls and eventually sending text messages. The services which phones provided as time went on, however, began to grow in scope and phones were gradually seen less as a communication device and more as a media and social networking platform. The rise of cell phones and their usage among the public also happened to coincide with the introduction of social media and websites such as Facebook and Twitter. Young people flocked to these sites and when they found they were not satiated by simply using them at a computer, they sought out phones which had this technology in them. The addition of social media “apps” thus required users to have camera technologies on their phone to upload their pictures and within a short period of time the public soon discovered that some of these young people were using these cameras to send graphic pictures of themselves to friends, classmates, strangers and potentially anyone else with a phone. In contemporary times, the continued misuse of phones for picture sending communications coupled with the distraction that these phones provide in the classroom and in social situations in general has created a public outcry for further measures to be taken preventing young people from accessing phones.

The heart of the issue involving cell phones is the fact that they give young people the ability to immerse themselves in matters they may not be prepared to handle. In classroom environments, teachers struggle to reach students who are constantly checking their phones and messaging their peers (End, et.al 55). The common justification for having these devices, along with the ever-growing popularity of smartwatches,  is that they give the young people an opportunity to stay in touch with parents or guardians in case they find themselves in any form of danger or in need of assistance. Studies have shown that this is hardly the main reason for using phones, however, and while adults get the peace of mind of knowing that they can get in touch with children if needed, the loss of control a teacher has over a classroom environment is compromised instead (Coffey & Olbringer 41). In addition to the classroom issue, it should be noted that the cell phones have had a detrimental impact on certain social situations. Prior to the availability of cell phones young people would have to meet physically or speak personally on a phone if they wanted to interact. Cell phones have eliminated that personal contact and made it less necessary for young people to need to stretch their social limits and interact with one another in a positive manner. Lastly, with the issue of sexting and predators lurking on phone apps, the perceived threats may not be as significant as the current hysteria about the issue has suggested but the reality of the situation is that young people who do use these phones to take suggestive or graphic pictures may find themselves regretting what they have done and exposing themselves to the judgment of all of their peers if the picture is sent to others (Calvert 5).

Having reviewed the current issues surrounding cell phone usage among young people as well as the historical rise of cell phones as an emerging technology, it is clear that a series of policies and rules must be implemented by parents before giving their children access to these devices. First and foremost, parents and advocacy agents should work together to design cell phones that don’t have cameras but can provide other smart phone technologies. Cameras have provided much more difficulty for this demographic than they have satisfaction and it is clear that young people can’t hold themselves responsible enough to avoid sending these pictures out to others. The second step which must be taken will involve a national recommendation by the US Board of Education to impose upon schools across the country which requires students to forfeit cell phones into a security box when they enter a classroom, returned once the class bell rings. While a student could use the phone in public settings such as lunch or when walking to and from classes, they don’t need them for any reason during class. Lastly, an informal suggestion to parents would be to require children who do want cell phones to participate in an extracurricular activity such as a sport or a class that allows them to still interact with others in person. These recommendations do not simply solve the issue of cell phone usage among children, but they provide a foundation for further efforts. There is no right or wrong solution to handling how young people use cell phones but there is no doubt that increased efforts to address some of the potential issues such as sexting which have emerged in recent times is a worthy cause to advocate.

Works Cited

Calvert, C. “Sex, Cell Phones, Privacy, and the First Amendment: When Children Become Child Pornographers and the Lolita Effect Undermines the Law”. Commlaw Conspectus, 2009. Accessed from http://scholarship.law.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1446&context=commlaw

Clarke-Pearson, K. “The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families”. Pediatrics, 2011. Accessed from http://research.fit.edu

Coffey, K., & Obringer, S. “Cell Phones in American High Schools: A National Survey”. The Journal of Technology Studies, 2007. Accessed from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ847358.pdf

Divan, H., Kheifets, L., Obel, C., & Olsen, J.“Cell Phone Use and Behavioral Problems in Young Children”. Epidemal Community Health, 2010. Accessed from http://www.avaate.org/IMG/pdf/NINOS_Cell_phone_use_and_behavioural_problems_inIech.2010.115402.full.pdf

End, C., Mathews, M., Wetterau, K., & Worthman, S. “Costly Cell Phones: The Impact of Cell Phone Rings on Academic Performance”. Teaching of Psychology, 2010. Accessed from http://psy.psych.colostate.edu/research/spring/article4.pdf

Mascheroni, G &Olafsson, K. “Mobile Internet Access and Use among European Children”. Net Children, 2013. Accessed from http://eprints.lse.ac.uk