Technology, Cultural Diffusion and Parent-child Conflict: Responses from Traditional Pashtun Families of Pakistan

Abstract

The diffusion of digital technology into the human life has brought tremendous change in all fields of life. The simplistic life has transformed into complex life. However, this induction of modern technology has also undergone dysfunction in society in terms of parent-child conflict. Because in developing and tribal societies the elders are usually illiterate or less literate and the youths are more literate and technology-oriented. Thus, in this context the frequent engagement of youth with technology lead them to acculturation process and resultantly adopting western culture prominently, which nevertheless causes differences between traditional parents and rational children. This study was executed to explore the role of technology in cultural diffusion and the parent-child conflict in the traditional families of Zhob division of Balochistan. The findings concluded that the parent-child conflict is a smoldering issue caused by the skilled children and unskilled parents. Furthermore, the study found that digital technology has exacerbated the intensity of discrepancies, and nonetheless the technological usage by children has caused cultural diffusion which has altered the family norms, values and food patterns etc.