Model of Smartphone and Social App Use

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Profile of Smartphone and Social App Use

In the following, a summary is given of the findings based on literature and statistical evidence on the importance of the smartphone. It seeks to summarize the macro and micro effects of smartphone use in society to build a reliable Addiction Model that fits into today’s context.
This model, in turn, is used to bundle suitable questions together for a reliable interview outcome to understand whether it can be talked about a smartphone addiction trend in society.

The impact of Smartphones on Society

The smartphone made our lives easier in many ways. It helps us in daily activities and gets us more easily connected; for example, you are able to use text messaging or SMS services at any time and you can wait for the answer instead of hoping that the other person is available when calling. It also allows for connectivity without incurring any phone costs using text messaging instead of calling. You are able to use social media to be connected to your social peers from far away or very close to you. You can use GPS to find your way from anywhere to anywhere else. You can access the internet at any time, giving you endless possibility. Not only you are aware of your phone consciously or unconsciously but the phone makes you aware of news from the online sphere through « beeping » or « shaking » of the phone. It blurs the line between places and times, especially in terms of working contexts, or private contexts; you are constantly available for anyone. The smartphone is an empowering technology for people, which makes them feel, connected and empowered to socialize. The mobile phone has become so routinely integrated that it becomes a part of everyday life.
This impact of the smartphone on Society was not being unseen by Service providers seeing the potential benefit of offering new apps for EVERY need imaginary, which means that every time you have a real life problem that can be solved through ICT (need), a service provider has created an app for it (solution).
In conclusion, this means that someone who relies a lot on the smartphone on daily activities will use it more heavily. The more he or she builds up real life needs into the capabilities of the smartphone by using another new app, the stronger the need for it gets. Additionally, the fact that you can use the same app on multiple devices can mean that you might use the same app on different devices. It can also be said that the combination of mobility of the smartphone (you can use it anywhere and it’s easy to carry around) with communication media or apps that expect updates from you as soon as possible (e.g. instant messaging, social media feed) create a strong tendency to check your mobile phone whenever possible and wherever possible which can be seen according to statistics data (please see figure 3 and 5 in the appendix) . The intent of service providers to create new apps for anything that can be done in Society has a reinforcing effect on the dependency on the smartphone to the point where it might be seen as vital to everyday activities. This effect is even more troubling looking at Service Providers who strive to offer a seamless experience for the user for anything the user wishes, including cloud based services, analytics services, software as a service etc.
Based on the literature, it can be said that two spaces have been created in Society (a digital sphere and a physical sphere) and that both spaces are being connected interchangeably through smartphones. Smartphones corroded the barrier between reality and digital which changed the way we see relationships and communities and the way we relate to others and what’s approved and appropriate (Traxler, 2011). This means that individuals are able to project their real life in digital space and vice versa increasing their dependency on the smartphone, since they connect their reality with the digital sphere. This applies irrespective of time and space. However, this also means that you can have the same possibilities during socializing with others (family, friends, and work). This in turn can mean that you might be tending to repeat the convenience that you have when not being around anyone with when being around anyone interchangeably, which is evident in statistics data (please figure 4 about unprompted checks of the smartphone in appendix), creating the tendency of dependency of a smartphone or the perceived dependency on a phone (« I am using my smartphone all the time, also when being around friends »). Even worse, you might end up in a situation where you feel obliged to reply to other people’s wishes of receiving updates from you as soon as possible forcing you into using your smartphone more than necessary during real life activities or during socializing with friends and family.
The question, however, remains if this is an effect that is strongly negative (as it can lead to a too strong dependency on the phone) or if it is a (needed) natural way of individuals of coping with today’s fast moving world of which the strongest characteristics is its need for mobility (Traxler, 2011) and its structures of communication in society. Hence, the exact reasons of smartphone use and its immediate effects remain to be understood.

Characterizing the typical Smartphone user

Characterizing the typical « Mobile user » in the developed world, it can be said that he or she owns multiple digital devices that are connected, creating a constant flow of information on any device.
The smartphone is of highly personal nature to a mobile user. This might reflect into the fact that individuals project reality on the mobile phone, making it valuable to them as it is their convenience method to be connected to today’s fast moving world, even though some apps are not created for mobile access, most users prefer mobile access to content (Loosemore, 2014). In addition, the mobile user takes different roles while interacting with a phone reflecting its multipurpose nature. He or she can take the role of using the phone for leisure activity as entertainment seeker, as a professional for work, calling people, or as an activist to plan the next political movement or event in the community. This also reflects into the variety of use of the mobile phone in every activity (please see figure 5 in the appendix about places of use of a smartphone).
According to literature, the typical mobile phone user uses the mobile phone for 7 types of activity. Social Interaction, Dependency on the phone as to being a part of their life and a solution to any obstacle, to bestow societal status upon them and to identify with them, to be connected for safety reasons (e.g. kids with parents), for professional use in the job, as a device for independence and freedom (e.g. teenagers and parents), and for gossiping with friends and family as a pacifier for social, psychological, and physical well – being (Peters & Allouch, 2005).
It can also be argued that mobile phones have been increasingly integrated into our daily life’s at various different times and activities. This is shown in the occasions we use mobile phones such as on public transport, at work, while watching TV, during shopping, during walking, leisure time, even while meeting friends and talking to family / friends and eating. Interestingly, it even happens during business meetings and at very dangerous occasions such as crossing the road and driving (please see figure 5 in the appendix about places of use of a smartphone). A strong tendency to use the phone at any time is prevalent.
Finally, a strong tendency of attachment to the mobile phone is evident in Europe especially with Swedish citizens compared to other countries (except UK which is slightly higher). A total of 19% between 16 – 24 years argued that the mobile phone is their most important asset. This in turn indicates a high dependence on the mobile phone.

What are the traits that lead to a Smartphone / Social App Addiction and what are its effects?

In general, Addiction is a high dependence on a particular medium. Addiction is a psychological dependence whereas major motives are to relief pain or anxiety, or other negative emotional states (i.e. escape); or enhance control, power, and self – esteem (i.e. compensation) or simplifying and making life more manageable (i.e. ritual) and as a mood modifier or way of feeling good (i.e. instrumental). It can be argued that addiction must influence the individual in a strong emotional way either positively or negatively.
This is directly related to « Technological Addiction or Smartphone Addiction » as Griffith (1996) points out in his concept of technological addiction which involves excessive human – machine – interaction. In this are additionally included all core components of addictions which are salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, and relapse (Griffith, 1998). Therefore, Mobile Addiction follows a similar pattern of the general concept of substance addiction. Several problematic behaviours that have been associated with Mobile Addiction are Nomophobia disorder, text message overreliance and phantom vibration syndrome.
In general, mobile phone overuse is associated with several socio demographic factors as well as personality traits and psychological factors according to literature. First of all, females have a higher tendency to become dependent on their mobile phone than males, and the age aspect showed that the younger a person, the higher the chance of symptoms of a dependence on the mobile phone.
Social App addiction is in the realm of cyber – relationships precisely because it is rooted in the idea of enhancing the inherent human trait of establishing, maintaining and communicating with social peers. It is this effect that makes social apps so appealing to a broad audience and on the other hand so vulnerable towards excessive use. Research has shown that SNSs are used mainly to stay in touch with friends, make new friends, and read status news and post status news and teenagers at least once a day update their profile which fosters excessive use of the smartphone (Lenhart, 2007). It seems that the more individuals are emerged in this new social space, the more they use it as they perceive encouragement for participation from the network (Kwon & Wen, 2010). social apps connect the digital space contacts with the physical space contacts. Therefore, it allows a real advantage as you are able to manage offline as well as online contacts with the smartphone. This in turn can lead to an overuse of it.
Five predominant characteristic traits of overuse of the phone have been found to be:
People who are extroverted, with higher self – esteem to use social apps for social enhancement. Extroverted people have a strong desire to communicate with peers and establish new relationships (Bianchi and Phillips, 2005). The preference of using SNSs for communication instead of face – to -face communication can lead to an excessive use of social apps.
People who are introverted, with low –self – esteem and low life
satisfaction using social apps for online popularity, and social compensation. These people favour indirect communication(email, SMSs), compared to high esteem people who favour face – to – face communication (Joinson, 2004)
People with narcissist personality traits use Facebook actively to present themselves more favourably online to empower their ideal selves
People who are neurotic seek constant reassurance and have an innate fear to be rejected by contacts reinforcing their need in resorting to constant use of the smartphone and social apps.
People who are very impulsive showing traits of either urgency (tendency to act rashly when experiencing intense emotions, either positive or negative); or premeditation (understanding of a consequence of an act before engaging into it); or perseverance (capacity to remain focus on a boring or difficult task); or sensation seeking (tendency to enjoy and pursue new and exciting activities, or any combination. High urgency is associated with all aspects of everyday use of the mobile phone (numbers of calls, duration of calls, number of SMSs sent) together with symptoms of dependence towards the mobile phone.
On a broader scale, a very strong correlation can be found with an excessive use of social networking and the effect of neglection of personal life, mental preoccupation, and escapism, mood modifying experiences, tolerance, and concealing addictive behaviour.

Model of Smartphone and Social App Use
Approach of Analysis

In order to get a broad understanding of addictive causes, it is made use of the addiction assessment approach of Billieux (please refer to chapter 3.10. Mobile Phone Addiction Assessment).
Since addiction is considered to be a very fuzzy definition (Griffiths, 2013) and can take on many forms, an approach of analysis is needed that takes a broad perspective and a more fine grained
approach towards the understanding of what can be termed an addiction or a mere excessive need for the phone out of other reasons.
Hence, the approach will be, firstly, to create a user profile of a person (what type of person is it?), secondly, to understand what the person is doing on the phone (how does this person use the mobile phone?). Especially, a focus is set here to Social App use and if social apps are used to maintain mainly online or offline contacts. Thirdly, determine the attachment to the phone, by asking on the time amount spent on certain activities and the amount of neglection towards real connections. This is to see of this activity can be seen as problematic (What activities can be called problematic use?).
To conduct this analysis, I will use a model that I have constipated drawn out of literature and statistical evidence called “Physical and Digital Sphere Addiction Model”.

Physical and Digital Sphere Addiction Model

The Physical and Digital Sphere Addiction Model assumes that information systems segregated the world into two realms, the digital sphere and the physical sphere. However, due to the traditional static nature of information systems by being bound to a certain location at a certain time, the digital sphere could not be used to its full potential.
The smartphone is the first technology that knows to successfully combine both realms interchangeably due to its mobile nature allowing for the digital sphere to be fully used to its full ability. However, now the question remains where an individual should dedicate its time to more.
Looking from this perspective, it can be said that the overuse of the smartphone can be a natural development of the connection between those two spaces and its consequences of simultaneous use. However, addiction is a different matter in that it has negative effects on our physical sphere in favour of the digital sphere. To analyse in how much a person is being endangered as to be too far into the digital sphere, the “Physical and digital Sphere addiction model has been created”

Analysis of Findings

In this section, the outcome of the findings are analysed and discussed. The analysis of findings was conducted based on the content analysis method and guided by criteria set by the Physical and Digital Sphere Addiction Model (please see chapter 5.2).
As a result,12 participants between 18 and 33 years were asked about their relationship to the smartphone and their smartphone attachment based on the Questions derived from the model (please find question’s asked in the appendix chapter 13.2) :
Who is that person?
How does this person live?
What position does the smartphone take in this person’s life?
It was aimed to keep a good ratio between men and women. Overall, 5 men and 7 women from various cultures and countries (France, Tunesia, Ireland / Sweden, Taiwan, Germany, Poland, Brazil, New Zealand / Korea, Romania, Macedonia) were interviewed using open ended guided questions. After defining the codes and marking the interviews based on these codes, the following results were identified.

Interview Results

Interview results have been codified, the occurrence of a certain code has been counted, and then results have been summarized in chart form. As the charts are various, all charts and figures used in this analysis have been moved and can be found in the attachment (chapter 13.3) of this document.
All participants with an age of an average 27 (female) and 30 (male) were asked a range of questions regarding their smartphone use and the smartphone’s importance in their lives.
The participants scored the importance of the smartphone on average with a 7 out of 10 points, whereas the usefulness of the smartphone was scored on average with 6.5 out of 10 points.
From the people interviewed, 9 (77%) were very communicative, extroverted and outgoing, interactive, and eager to meet new people, whereas 3 (23%) were introverted and rather shy / uncommunicative.
According to the interviews, it was mentioned that the smartphone is used mostly in the evenings / and before going to bed and at any time when being free.
Besides that, on a typical day, the phone is used regularly for any type of activity that is quickly done (call, text, instant messaging); when waking up in the morning, during work, and when being in transport (bus / cab), and when being at new places for orientation purpose (e.g. Google Maps). Apart from this, other activities that participants mentioned were using the phone when doing grocery shopping, during sport activities, at special occasions (e.g. concerts), and while driving.

Table of Contents
Abstract
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction
1.1 Background
1.2 Problem Discussion
1.3 Study Purpose
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Delimitations
1.6 Definitions
2. Research Methodology
2.1 Research Approach
2.2 Data Collection
2.3 Sampling
2.4 Interviews
2.5 Data Analysis
2.6 Research Credibility
2.7 Literature Review
3. Theoretical Framework
3.1 The Emergence of the Smartphone
3.2 The impact of the Smartphone on Society
3.3 Constant Digital Access through ubiquitous mobile technologies
3.4 The mobile user
3.5 Motivation of Mobile Phone Usage
3.6 Statistics on Smartphone use
3.7 Addiction
3.8 Existing Measures of Problematic Smartphone Use
3.9 Pathway Model of Problematic Mobile Phone Use
3.10 Smartphone Addiction Assessment
3.11 Ten Indicators of Smartphone Addiction
4. Profile of Smartphone and Social App Use
4.1 The impact of Smartphones on Society
4.2 Characterizing the typical Smartphone user
4.3 What are the traits that lead to a Smartphone / Social App Addiction and what are its effects?
4.4 Summary of Findings
5. Model of Smartphone and Social App Use
5.1 Approach of Analysis
5.2 Physical and Digital Sphere Addiction Model
6. Analysis of Findings
7. Interpretation of Findings
8. Conclusion
9. Limitations of Findings
10. Contribution to Theory and Practice
11. Future research based on findings
12. Bibliography
13. Appendix
13.1 Statistics of Smartphone use
13.2 Interview Questions
13.3 Interview Results (Charts)

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Mobile Apps and the ultimate addiction to the Smartphone