Increased Cell Phone Usage has Various Effects on Personal Relationships, Researchers Say
Often times, Kent State student Natalie Meek finds herself overwhelmed by the sheer amount of technology surrounding her every day.
Natalie is just one of millions of people experiencing the same feelings and way of life. Modern day technology has resulted in numerous differences in the daily lives of Americans. Televisions have become exponentially larger, efficient, and captivating. Laptops and computer systems have made communication and production in the workplace vastly more efficient.
Despite all of this, cell phones have become possibly the greatest difference in American life as opposed to a decade ago. While it seems that cell phones keep people more socially connected, this may not always be the case.
Dr. Andrew Lepp, a professor in the College of Education, Health and Human Services at Kent State University, has conducted extensive research on the subject.
“Cell phone usage has more than tripled among millennials in the last five years,” Lepp said. “My colleagues and I wanted [to] find how socially beneficial this growth has actually been.”
Dr. Lepp and two colleagues, Dr. Jacob Barkley and Dr. Jian Li, surveyed 493 students ranging from ages 18–29 about cell phone usage. The research reported female students spending an average of six hours and five minutes per day on their cell phone, with male students spending an average of two hours and forty-seven minutes.
A primary issue with excessive cell phone usage is problematic use, a condition in which someone consistently desires to use their cell phone during inappropriate times.
“Problematic use often results in students feeling less socially connected than normal cell phone users,” Lepp said. “In these cases, cell phones end up filling a void in time that can be replaced by more meaningful forms of relationship building.”
However, for the majority of students, cell phones represent a positive social impact. For students living on campus, cell phones allow for them to keep in touch with friends and family on a daily basis.
For female students surveyed by the professors, talking on the phone allowed them to feel emotionally close to parents and friends. For male students, the same was found to a lesser degree.
“Overall, cell phones can be a mentally and emotionally sustainable form of communication,” Lepp concluded. “Just like with any other good thing, there needs to [be] moderation.”
