My research on technology: helps or hinders intimacy?

Hey dudes, some of my research stuff over the course of the night; body language, non verbal communication (what do we understand, and how? How is technology depriving us of this?), technology and intimacy. Enjoy :)


http://www.surespeak.com/whitepapers/body-language/
"Synopsis
Though their work is verbal and vocal, telephone salespeople can benefit significantly from training in body language. A phone conversation consists of two parts: (1) words themselves, and (2) the manner in which the words are presented. The former is verbal, and can be recorded as a written transcript. The latter, which is nonverbal, is what behavioral scientists call voice quality, intonation, prosody, paralanguage, or tone of voice. Tone of voice carries the feelings and emotions we detect in words."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_language
I know, Wiki.... but just as a general overview
"How prevalent is Non verbal Behaviour?
Some researchers put the level of nonverbal communication as high as 80 percent of all communication. More reasonably it could be at around 50-65 percent. That’s exactly what Mehrabian discovered in his communication study. He found that only 7 percent of communication comes from spoken words, 38 percent is from the tone of the voice, and 55 percent comes from body language. However, Mehrabian was only referring to cases of expressing feelings or attitudes, such as when a person says "I do not have a problem with you!" when people commonly focus on the tone of voice, and body language of the person, rather than the actual words said. It is a common misconception that these percentages apply to all communication.[1]"

Particular notice to the reference list at the bottom for further reading

http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=78144
"These three elements account differently for the meaning of the message: - Words account for 7%- Tone of voice accounts for 38% and - Body language accounts for 55% of the message."

Running Head: Technology and Intimacy
"Contemporary relationships now exist within the context of technology saturated homes and lifestyles. This is particularly true for current young adults and subsequent generations. Evidence exists to suggest that modern technology, including television, cellular phones, computers and the Internet, can be used in ways that cause and perpetuate problems in committed relationships. " Exert from abstract

http://www.selectassesstrain.com/hint6.asp
facts and tips on communication

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/eq6_nonverbal_communication.htm
Nonverbal Communication: The Hidden Language of Emotional Intelligence
This talks of the importance of understanding non verbal communication while in a relationship, quite interesting when I reflect on our conversation about online dating services earlier today

http://www.customercrossroads.com/customercrossroads/2007/02/technology_is_t.html
"Technology is the new intimacy" - Rasool Verjee

Technology: Helps or hinders intimacy?
Pretty much what we are asking.... Just comparing lon distance dating through time; thoughtfully written love letters to a quick text or email. Short and glossy.

http://www.unimelb.edu.au/HB/subjects/136-209.html
Course outline for the University of Melbourne... 136-209 Intimacy and Technology

http://jetpress.org/v17/tomasi.htm
The Role of Intimacy in the Evolution of Technology
Alessandro Tomasi
Journal of Evolution and Technology - Vol. 17 Issue 1 – January 2008 - pgs 1-12
http://jetpress.org/v17/tomasi.html
"In this article, Georges Bataille’s notion of intimacy will be re-interpreted to show that it has a role to play in the evolution of technology. The specifically human form of intimacy can be experienced through the successful adoption of technological devices that have the qualities necessary to fit in and work out in our life context. If they manage to become part of our life, then we experience them as projections of our psychophysical personality, and, as such, they escape our positing, objectifying consciousness. Intimacy can be seen as the organizing principle that shapes the evolution of technology towards an ideal end that promises at least an approximation to the absolute intimacy that is unique to the gods."