ABSTRACT
Humanity may be facing untold threats and possible benefits as a result of the burgeoning 4th Industrial Revolution. New technologies introduced by the 4th Industrial Revolution have been purported to be gradually diminishing humans' capacities like compassion and cooperation. Challenges such as security, trust, liability and personal data privacy issues are also being triggered which calls for stricter regulations. Emerging digital innovations allegedly attempts to widen the social and economic gap between the elites and the non-elites or the rich and the poor. Furthermore, other literature has pinpointed some of these propositions as skewed and biased, tending to ignore some other salient issues. The family, as a microcosm of a larger society, is certainly influenced by these technological interplay. It is therefore of great importance that keen attention is given to the family unit and its proper coherence and functioning within the sphere of the burgeoning terrain of the 4th Industrial Revolution. As such, this study seeks to undertake a systematic review by identifying, summarising and synthesising currently available research on the relationships between the emerging 4th Industrial Revolution and family cohesion.
Subject(s)
Family Relations , Head , Humans , Humanities , Industry , Privacy , Systematic Reviews as TopicABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic affected families globally. Empirical research has been explored to understand the impact of COVID-19 on families across countries, however, there are limited findings of how COVID-19 has affected the daily realities of families in South Africa. This study used an exploratory qualitative research approach to explore the experiences of COVID-19 for South African families. Findings suggest that the negative outcomes of COVID-19 experienced by South African families included a shift in the daily routines, restrictions on family events, lack of socialization and loss of connections, family conflicts, financial constraints as well as psychological impacts. On the contrary, the positive outcomes included increased family time and communication, cleanliness, and good health status, and improved financial management. Implications for future research should include research focused on the health impacts of COVID-19 on diverse family structures, family compositions, and family dynamics. In-depth research and findings can assist in developing policies and interventions for families.