Hieroglyphs in Papyrus: Chapter III

CHAPTER III

STUDY FRAMEWORK

I. Theoretical Framework

The aim of this study is to identify the role of Facebook in past and existing relationships among UP Cebu College Computer Science students. And to be able to do that, the researchers need to use established theories that describe the effect of technology to human behaviour towards his society. Thus, Technological Determinism by Marshall McLuhan is used.

TECHNOLOGICAL DETERMINISM

McLuhan (as cited in Kappelman, 2002) stated that people are so fond of technology’s existence as an extension to humans’ limitations that they forget to think of its counterpart, which is what he called as amputations. Amputation is the effect of over using an extension, it is the ability of an extension to change or modify another extension. Cars as mentioned are extensions to individuals’ feet are amputations, for it causes obesity, pollution and reduce time of socialization. McLuhan concluded further that technology drastically altered how humans’ use their senses.

McLuhan’s Technological Determinism states that Technology affects human society. It is further explained that exposure to such changes the behaviour of individuals. Technological Determinism’s main point is that human behaviour is affected by the different kinds of an individual is exposed to. This is due to our increasing rate of dependency towards technology and when humans became dependent to technology, reliance to it in doing daily activities becomes a habit. Our habits are what constitute our attitude and personality. Thus, if there is a change in habitual activities, then there is also change in personality and attitude.

Figure 1 (on the next page) shows how Technology affects human society. Based on Technological Determinism, human society is affected by the changes acquired of an individual from using different products of Technology.

Figure 1: Theoretical Framework

I₁= influence of element (of technology) # 1 I₃= influence of element (of technology) # 3

I₂= influence of element (of technology) # 2 I₄= influence of element (of technology) # 4

II. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

This section of this chapter discusses the relationship between the theory used and the variable of this study.

The aim of this study is to know the role of Facebook on Romantic Relationships of University of the Philippines Cebu College computer science students. The variables needed in determining such are the individual contribution of each Facebook feature to romantic relationships of the students. These Facebook features are, Wall posting, Photo sharing, Instant Messaging and constant update of status.

The theory of Technological Determinism will be used in this study since it is stated in the said theory that human society is affected by the existence of modern technology. One of the by-products of modern technology is Facebook, one of the most popular social networking sites worldwide. Thus, Facebook as a form of modern technology also affects human society.

Figure 2 (on the next page) shows that relationships of UP Cebu students are affected by their change of behaviour, which according to Technological Determinism is caused by the different form of technology, such as the different influences of of social networking sites’ features.

Figure 2: Conceptual Framework

I₁= influence of element (of Social Networking Sites) # 1

I₃= influence of element (of Social Networking Sites) # 3

I₂= influence of element (of Social Networking Sites) # 2

I₄= influence of element (of Social Networking Sites) # 4

III. OPERATIONAL FRAMEWORK

This section of this study illustrates the Operational Framework of the study which is shown on Figure 3 on the next page.

The University of the Philippines Cebu college computer science students are always using the internet, whether or academic of for personal purposes. As a generation of modern technologies, all of them have an existing Facebook accounts that they all use frequently.

According to Parr (2009), facebook affects romantic relationships. This effect according to Technological Determinism is caused by too much exposure with technology. Thus, these features’ influences the University of the Philippines Cebu College Computer Science students that results to a change in behaviour. This change in attitude affects their respective romantic relationships.

Figure 3: Conceptual Framework