The study was meant to describe the social meaning of the mobile phone and the Internet as perceived by the selected college students of San Pedro College. A qualitative-phenomenological research design was used to describe how the said technologies were used and how the face-to-face conversation and the virtual connection in the family were carried through. The research data were gathered through a series of focus group discussions (FGDs). The social meaning of the mobile phone and the Internet was found to be influenced by the type of technology attachments the college students were formed. The FGD participants who showed functional type of attachment merely considered the aforementioned technologies as utility devices that were instrumental in attaining social and academic responsibilities. On the other hand, those that exhibited structural type of attachment viewed the mobile phone and Internet as basic needs and as source of emotional comfort. While both technologies were helpful in expanding the face-to-face conversation to the virtual connection with the families, the mobile phone was found to be more accessible and widely used means to obtain personal updates in life, share information of all sorts and indirectly express emotions with ease. The study concludes that based on the flow of the family conversation, family values and moral purpose were imparted as part of the formation and foundation of their individual self. However, the banality and the eventual shift of technology attachment from functional to structural purposes seemingly influenced the virtual connection with family members. Thus, the flow of the family conversation where family values and moral purpose are imparted is apparently affected.
ISSN 2012-3752 (Print)
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