Seventy-seven percent of 18- to 29-year-olds use their phone to access the Internet ( PEW Internet: Mobile, 2012).Īn increasing reliance on cell-phones among young adults and college students may signal the evolution of cell-phone use from a habit to an addiction. This figure has nearly doubled from only three years ago. A full 56 percent of Internet users access the web via their cell-phones. Cell-phones are quickly replacing the lap-top or desk-top computer as the preferred method of accessing the Internet. Sixty-seven percent of young adults 18 to 24 years of age own a Smart Phone compared to 53 percent of all adults. This increasing dependence on cell-phones coincides with the recent emergence of the Smart Phone. And, 60 percent of US college students admit that they may be addicted to their cell-phone ( McAllister, 2011). Research suggests that media use has become such a significant part of student life that it is “invisible” and students do not necessarily realize their level of dependence on and/or addiction to their cell-phones ( Moeller, 2010).Ī large scale survey of 2,500 US college students found that respondents reported spending one hour and 40 minutes daily on Facebook ( Junco, 2011). Many young adults today cannot envision an existence without cell-phones. Present-day cell-phones are seen as critical in maintaining social relationships and conducting the more mundane exigencies of everyday life ( Junco & Cole-Avent, 2008 Junco & Cotton, 2012). Nowhere is this fascination with technology more intense than in young adults – college students in particular ( Massimini & Peterson, 2009 Shambare, Rugimbana & Zhowa, 2012).Ĭollege students commonly view their cell-phone as an integral part of who they are, and/or as an important extension of themselves ( Belk, 1988). The current-day fascination with the cell-phone (e.g., smart phones) highlights the latest technology that, for better or worse, appears to be encouraging people to spend relatively more time with technology and less with fellow humans ( Griffiths, 2000). First, it was the radio, then the telephone and the TV, followed quickly by the Internet. This fascination continues unabated into the 21 st century as US consumers are spending an ever increasing amount of time with technology ( Griffiths, 1999, 2000 Brenner, 2012 Roberts & Pirog, 2012). Future research must identify the activities that push cell-phone use beyond its “ tipping point” where it crosses the line from a helpful tool to one that undermines our personal well-being and that of others.Īmericans have had a long-held fascination with technology. As the functionality of cell-phones continues to expand, addiction to this seemingly indispensable piece of technology becomes an increasingly realistic possibility. The activities found to be associated with CPA, however, differed across the sexes. Conclusions: CPA amongst the total sample is largely driven by a desire to connect socially.

Although a strong social component drove CPA for both males and females, the specific activities associated with CPA differed markedly. Cell-phone activities that drive cell-phone addiction (CPA) were found to vary considerably across male and female cell-phone users. Results: Findings revealed cell-phone activities that are associated significantly with cell-phone addiction (e.g., Instagram, Pinterest), as well as activities that one might logically assume would be associated with this form of addiction but are not (e.g., Internet use and Gaming). The questionnaire took 10 and 15 minutes to complete and contained a measure of cell-phone addiction and questions that asked how much time participants spent daily on 24 cell-phone activities. Participants completed the questionnaire as part of their class requirements. Methods: College undergraduates ( N = 164) participated in an online survey. No research to date has studied the full-range of cell-phone activities, and their relationship to cell-phone addiction, across male and female cell-phone users. Background and aims: The primary objective of the present study was to investigate which cell-phone activities are associated with cell-phone addiction.

Make ringtones for cell phones