#JA1-Photography Journal Assignment 1. Mobiles and The Death of Conversation

• Do you usually have your cell phone out and visible?
• Yes.
• Would you rate learning something new as a complex task or an easy task?
• Complex task. 
• What happens to performance on complex tasks when a cell phone is visible?
• They suffered. 
• How does having a cell phone out remind people of a “broader social community?”
• "With the presence of the phone, you're wondering what those people are doing." 
• Does the presence of a cell phone change the performance of easy tasks?
• It still causes them to suffers.
• What did the presence of a cell phone do to the quality of social interaction in the 2012 study?
• Having the phone out stifled "interpersonal closeness and trust" and kept study participants from empathy for one another.
• Does the use of black and white as opposed to color add or detract from the message? Why or why not? Support your answer.
• It adds to the message because I was trying to imagine the photo-story with color and it wouldn't have really made the messages stand out. Black and white automatically makes people think of serious things.
• Romero says that “killing conversation…is increasing social pain.” Support or refute (for or against) his position.
• I agree. Conversation is so important. People are losing that skill when they think they are actually just enhancing it. By using their cellphones, they are able to reach people around the world, causing them to think they are more social. In reality, they are shutting out the people around them while they are sucked into their phones.
• How do you emotionally react to Romero’s images?
• It makes me really stop and think about how much I use my phone and the moments I am losing with the people I love.
• What do you think about Romero’s images? Relate your answer to things in your own life.
• I think they really show the loss of communication in our society today. As I stated in the previous question, it makes me think about how much I am on my phone and the time that slips by.
• Do you think this issue is becoming worse or not? Support your answer.
• Yes I do. I see kids in elementary school that have iPhones! That is so not good. It truly is ruining our communication with others, and now it is starting at an earlier age.
• Make a list of truly important uses for a smartphone. Make a list of just fun uses for a smart phone.
• Important
• I got my first phone (it was a flip phone) in 4th grade, only because I danced 15+ hours a week at a dance studio 45 minutes away and my mom wanted to be able to get in contact with me.
• Emergencies (911)
• Being able to text people & get a hold of them in a short amount of time.
• Fun
• Social media! You are able to keep up with people across the globe.
• Taking photos - It is so great to look back on your memories.
• You can video chat with people - see their face.
• How often do you use your smart phone for social reasons or to “kill time” (an interesting expression) as opposed to something truly necessary and important.
• I use my phone way more to just "kill time." For instance, when I'm waiting for someone in a social environment and don't want to talk to others/feel lonely. 
• Do you ever use technology to avoid interacting with other people.
• Yes!
• If you are in a safe place with a lot of your friends and/or family around, how would you react if someone that you do not know began a conversation with you.
• I would feel fine and probably keep up a conversation because it's so different being alone and talking to someone you don't know instead of being with friends.
• Given the same scenario, would you ever start a conversation with a stranger? Why or why not.
• I would if I had someone else I knew with me. 

(Support your answer with examples!) What effect has social media and the use of cell phones had upon you and your peers with regard to:

1. Time management
1. I am terrible at time management - mostly because of my phone. I can't get things done because I'm always on my phone.
2. Social skills
1. I think sometimes it can better and worsen your social skills. Like if you talk with someone over phone all the time and then meet them in person, you might feel like you have nothing to talk about because you've been texting them the whole time.
3. Self esteem
1. Worsens my self esteem because of instagram and seeing all the "models."
4. Work ethic
1. It actually has helped my work ethic in the fact that I see other people's hard work that gets them to where they are and it inspires me.