A behavioral scientist explores love, belongingness, and fulfillment, focusing on how modern technology can both help and hinder our need to connect. A Next Big Idea Club nominee. Millions of people around the world are not getting the physical, emotional, and intellectual intimacy they crave. Through the wonders of modern technology, we are connecting with more people more often than ever before, but are these connections what we long for? Pandemic isolation has made us even more alone. In Out of Touch, Professor of Psychology Michelle Drouin investigates what she calls our intimacy famine, exploring love, belongingness, and fulfillment and considering why relationships carried out on technological platforms may leave us starving for physical connection. Drouin puts it this way: when most of our interactions are through social media, we are taking tiny hits of dopamine rather than the huge shots of oxytocin that an intimate in-person relationship would provide. Drouin explains that intimacy is not just sex—although of course sex is an important part of intimacy. But how important? Drouin reports on surveys that millennials (perhaps distracted by constant Tinder-swiping) have less sex than previous generations. She discusses pandemic puppies, professional cuddlers, the importance of touch, “desire discrepancy” in marriage, and the value of friendships. Online dating, she suggests, might give users too many options; and the internet facilitates “infidelity-related behaviors.” Some technological advances will help us develop and maintain intimate relationships—our phones, for example, can be bridges to emotional support. Some, on the other hand, might leave us out of touch. Drouin explores both of these possibilities.

Technology is rapidly advancing, and each innovation provides opportunities for such technology to mesh with the human enactment of physical intimacy or to be used in the quest for information about sexuality. However, the availability of this technology has complicated sexual decision making for young adults as they continually navigate their sexual identity, orientation, behavior, and community. Young Adult Sexuality in the Digital Age is a pivotal reference source that improves the understanding of the combination of technology and sexual decision making for young adults, examining the role of technology in sexual identity formation, sexual communication, relationship formation and dissolution, and sexual learning and online sexual communities and activism. While highlighting topics such as privacy management, cyber intimacy, and digital communications, this book is ideally designed for therapists, social workers, sociologists, psychologists, counselors, healthcare professionals, scholars, researchers, and students.

Technology has become ubiquitous to everyday life in modern society, and particularly in various social aspects. This has significant impacts on adolescents as they develop and make their way into adulthood. Identity, Sexuality, and Relationships among Emerging Adults in the Digital Age is a pivotal reference source for the latest research on the role of digital media and its impact on identity development, behavioral formations, and the inter-personal relationships of young adults. Featuring extensive coverage across a range of relevant perspectives and topics, such as self-comparison, virtual communities, and online dating, this book is ideally designed for academicians, researchers and professionals seeking current research on the use and impact of online social forums among progressing adults.

Discover meaningful connections in a swipe-right world, even if modern dating has left you feeling frustrated... Does digital dating feel overwhelming and impersonal? Are you tired of swiping right, hoping to find something real? You're not alone. Many singles face similar challenges – dealing with ghosting, endless options, and struggling to form genuine connections in a world that often favours casual over-commitment. But what if you could take control of your digital dating experience and make it work for you? Enter "Navigating Love in the Digital Age: Finding Authentic Connections in a Swipe-Right World", your guide through the chaos of online dating. Packed with expert advice, insights, and proven strategies, this comprehensive book will help you: - Decode digital communication and build deeper connections - Align your personal values with modern dating expectations - Heal from past relationship trauma and re-enter the dating world with confidence - Set healthy boundaries and handle rejection with grace - Navigate societal pressures while enjoying your dating journey - Break the cycle of attracting the wrong partners and find a meaningful relationship And much more... This book is more than just dating advice. It's about personal growth, resilience, and authenticity. Whether you're navigating dating as a feminist or healing from a past relationship, this guide is crafted with you in mind. If you're ready to take charge of your dating life and embrace authentic connections, scroll up and click "Add to Cart" today!

We now live in a digital society. New digital technologies have had a profound influence on everyday life, social relations, government, commerce, the economy and the production and dissemination of knowledge. People’s movements in space, their purchasing habits and their online communication with others are now monitored in detail by digital technologies. We are increasingly becoming digital data subjects, whether we like it or not, and whether we choose this or not. The sub-discipline of digital sociology provides a means by which the impact, development and use of these technologies and their incorporation into social worlds, social institutions and concepts of selfhood and embodiment may be investigated, analysed and understood. This book introduces a range of interesting social, cultural and political dimensions of digital society and discusses some of the important debates occurring in research and scholarship on these aspects. It covers the new knowledge economy and big data, reconceptualising research in the digital era, the digitisation of higher education, the diversity of digital use, digital politics and citizen digital engagement, the politics of surveillance, privacy issues, the contribution of digital devices to embodiment and concepts of selfhood and many other topics. Digital Sociology is essential reading not only for students and academics in sociology, anthropology, media and communication, digital cultures, digital humanities, internet studies, science and technology studies, cultural geography and social computing, but for other readers interested in the social impact of digital technologies.

In the current moment, ethnography is caught up in a number of debates that have led ethnographers to reflect on classic methodological and ethical dilemmas in new ways. The “replication crisis” had led to a movement for “open science” (e.g., registering hypotheses in advance; sharing codes and data), but it seems unclear that recommended best practices are appropriate to ethnography. It’s even up for debate whether ethnography is more of a social science or a genre. The fact that many ethnographies are widely read invites questions and criticisms from beyond the ivory tower–including our subjects–about the ethics of representation (e.g., who has license to write about whom) and the extent to which journalistic standards of data verification and transparency (e.g., fact checking, naming sources) should apply to qualitative research. Some ethnographers are calling for more open, critical discussions about the embodied dimensions of fieldwork, including not only emotions but also issues like sexual intimacy and harassment. There’s also a growing expectation that ethnographers empower our subjects to represent and analyze themselves. What’s more, as more of social life is lived online, it becomes increasingly unclear where the boundaries of the “field site” should be drawn and whether ethnographic conventions can be applied wholesale to the study of digital spaces.

In today's interconnected world driven by rapid technological advancements, ethical considerations have become more crucial than ever. "Ethics in Technology: Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in the Digital World" explores the complex intersection of technology and ethics, providing a comprehensive guide to understanding, analyzing, and addressing ethical challenges in the digital age. This book covers a wide range of topics, from AI ethics and data privacy to cybersecurity and the impact of social media. Through insightful discussions, real-world case studies, and practical guidance, this handbook is essential reading for technologists, policymakers, educators, and anyone concerned with the ethical implications of technology. Equip yourself with the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions and shape a responsible technological future.