The social life has notably grown to another level of complexity in the last few years. The population growth has brought with it serious consequences for the environment. A high percentage of the population has gone to school and attained a high level of education. Technological advancement and medical science have led to high life expectancy which has also raised ethical concerns. The political systems have not been left out as they are fading away and are getting replaced by the civil societies and religiously governing bodies (Strauss, 2017). This paper picks on the addiction of students on using electronic gadgets. This is considered a social problem because it is a common issue in schools, especially in higher learning institutions. The addiction to electronic gadgets by students is considered a social problem since it goes against certain societal values. The use of smartphones, for instance, has degraded the nature of human relationships and social interactions (Mamatha, Hanakeri& Aminabhavi, 2016). Also, these smartphones have led to dishonesty and escalated the level of exam cheatings in institutions of higher learning. Subsequently, these institutions have continued to release quacks with no genuine knowledge in the society.
The units of analysis on this topic solely depend on how the research question would ask. Assuming that the research question is which students are most likely to face addiction to an electronic gadget? The first unit of analysis in this kind of research is individual (Dingyloudi & Strijbos, 2014). Research methods would include conducting a survey on campus through questionnaires or individual interviews. This would help to categorize students according to their involvement in some of the social classes. From this survey, one is able to know how the addiction differs amongst the students' population. While one may want to make a reference or generalization to the populations from which the students belong, the unit of analysis for this case still remains an individual. The second unit of analysis is groups. Groups can be of different size and values. These groups influence human behaviors and habits. Another potential unit of analysis for this social problem is the organizations. Organizations may help in comparing different learning institutions and how other institutions are dealing with the problem of electronic gadgets in schools (Dingyloudi & Strijbos, 2014). Methods of conducting research, in this case, would be conducting surveys through interviews and using questionnaires to look for students' response as well as using observation to determine the different gadgets popularly used by students.
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The topics of concern that the sociologist may be interested in include the causes of internet addiction amongst students looking into issues like alienation, personality traits as well as demographic factors (Mamatha, Hanakeri & Aminabhavi, 2016). Also, the sociologist may be interested in examining the characteristics of the addicted internet users as well as the suggestions that can be effective in limiting the growth of electronic use amongst students.
A psychologist can play a significant role in providing an understanding of this social problem. First, the psychologist brings the attention to the issue and methodology which can be helpful in understanding. The psychologist would first define the addiction of electronic gadgets by students as a psychological issue. Subsequently, the psychologist would conduct research to determine solutions. The psychological approach, especially with regards to the chosen topic, is the most widespread usually subjected to reflect the problem in its entirety. In this issue, for instance, the theories in psychology would be useful and relevant in finding a solution to the problem (Strauss, 2017). In essence, psychology studies people. Additionally, psychology examines how people act and think and how one can improve on oneself. For that reason, everything one does is in one way or another connected to psychology. It is particularly helpful in this situation because it helps one to understand how the mind and body work in collaboration. This knowledge is particularly important for the chosen topic since it helps in the proper decision-making process as well as avoiding tempting situations. Giving an interdisciplinary approach would help in understanding the social problem more elaborately.
References
Dingyloudi, F., & Strijbos, J. W. (2014). Evolution of Communities of Learning Practice in Higher Education: Collective Units of Analysis. Boulder, CO: International Society of the Learning Sciences.
Mamatha, S. L., Hanakeri, P. A., & Aminabhavi, V. A. (2016). Impact of gadgets on emotional maturity, reasoning ability of college students. Int J Applied Res , 2 (3), 749-55.
Strauss, A. L. (2017). Social psychology and human values . Routledge.