Report: Study of Mobile Phone Addiction and Usage Behavior Among Youths

REPORT: STUDY OF MOBILE PHONE ADDICTION AND USAGE BEHAVIOR AMONG YOUTHS

Name: Tang Hua 1124070
Lecturer: Song Haiyan
Submission Date: 1 April 2013

Abstract The purpose of this report is to investigate the mobile phone addiction and usage behaviors focused on young users and research the relationships of them. The research shows that most of young users keep their phones on hand all the day because they need to contact with friends through talking on the phone or text message with them. In addition, as the development of internet, people can release fresh news anytime at anywhere. Anyone else could see that and they could exchange ideas about fashions on the phone through internet too. Besides, the author believed that the more use of mobile phone, the more attendant problem will appear. The conclusion has shown that the relationship between mobile phone addiction and usage behavior is cause and effect. Peer relationship restrict them have to take their mobile phone everywhere, it is quite possible to be addicted in the mobile phone uses and lead to some bad usage behaviors. The recommendations of the report are focused on young people restrictions. On the other hand, young people should also be encouraged to engage in some extra activities after class to build up their true relationships and learning some living skills.
Introduction
In this day and age, it is universally acknowledged that mobile phone is among the most prominent kinds of information and communications technology (ICT) and is probably also the one that has shown the most spectacular development during the past few years with regard to technological innovations, social impact, and general use by the majority of the population (M. Choliz, 2013). Especially in young people, mobile phones are spreading in popularity, increase their social communication frequency and expand their opportunities for making social relationships (Igarashi et al., 2005 and Matsuda, 2000) using this technology. However, there are also some negative effects on using mobile phones among young people. For example, the use of mobile phones in schools reduces the concentration of the students during class (Hiscock, 2004 and Selwyn, 2003), creates billing problems (Funston and Mac Neill, 1999 and Youth Action, 2004), leads to unsafe driving habits (Pennay, 2006 and Walsh et al., 2008), and causes mobile phone addiction (Ehrenberg et al., 2008 and Walsh and White, 2007). Of all of these outcomes, mobile phone addiction has the strongest relationships with mobile phone usage. Therefore, examining the relationships between mobile phone addiction and mobile phone usage for adolescents can help them keep away from addiction and cultivate healthy habits of usage behavior.
Method
This survey was completed by interviews of schoolmates and some investigations in the electronic database. Ten respondents (5 male and 5 female) were asked a series of questions regarding their opinions of mobile phones addiction and their mobile phones usage situation includes the daily mobile phone usage-time and the amount of money spent monthly on mobile phone. Respondents provided details about their average daily time using mobile phone; then they were asked to answer two open-questions. In the meantime, in order to clarify the relationships between the mobile phones addiction and usage behavior, the author also searches the electronic database to find some authoritative articles in Expanded Academic ASAP Journal.
Mobile phone addiction and mobile phone usage behavior According to the survey, 95% of the respondents said they spent almost half of the daytime on their mobile phones, even at night; they are unwilling to put it away from hands. Research shows that mobile phone addiction is significantly correlated with the total of phone-talk time, and the number of calls and text messages (Billieux et al., 2007 and Billieux et al., 2008). Besides, mobile phone usage behavior can spread fast through young people because they like to chat or contact with friends no matter when and where. “If someone do not have a mobile phone or do not usually use it, it maybe means that he/she cannot catch up with fresh news or fashions” according to one of my classmates. Therefore, it is common to see that mobile phone has almost become a necessity between young people. The research also tends to show that the hypothesis of the greater the use of mobile phones then the higher will be the instance of mobile phone addiction and the attendant problems. For instance, the earlier the respondents began to use the mobile phone, the worse grade they have got and the deeper near-sighted they were.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the study revealed some reasons that caused mobile phone addiction and usage behaviors. The relationship between the two results is causality. Because most of young people share their opinions through mobile phones, the relationships restrict them to carry their phones. They could fall into bad habits, like addiction. Then the usage behavior will soon come into being. The report concludes that there are problems that need to be solved and it will list recommendations in the next section.
Recommendations
As a result of interviews of schoolmates, it is recommended that: • Mobile phones should not be carried with hand in classrooms • As far as the author concerned that there should be a time constraints of young mobile phones users in which they could more likely keep away from the negative effect. • Students should be encouraged to join into after - class activities to establish the real relationships around themselves and cultivate the great skills or habits of their life. • The mobile phone users are becoming younger and younger; they should be attached great importance to the phone addictions and usage behaviors.

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