From my observation, it seems as though the cell phone has replaced the traditional “man’s best friend”. I consider our use of the cell phone to be similar to that of a pet. We walk them, we feed them energy. They are fun to play with and we communicate with them. When we lose them we are extremely upset and will go to great lengths to find them. Cell phones have definitely improved our lives in many ways, but perhaps the device that was made to help us communicate more has made us communicate less?
In 2011 Pew Research did a study and found that 42% of all cell owners used their phone for entertainment when they were bored; 70% of users 18-29 do this. We must keep in mind that this includes cell phone’s intended and unintended use.
In another example, 1000 passersby in New York City were counted and it was found that 1/3 of them were holding onto their cell phones or using them while walking. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxlIE7fc-Vs). To some it would seem that they must always be ready in case they are needed and to others there is a sense of comfort in holding onto their cell phones even if they are not using it. This video also brings up the idea of spacing out and how it is beneficial to our creativity and mental health to do so.
The above video was featured in an NPR article that did a great job of summarizing the issue. In this article, they argue that people forgot how to be bored. When we are bored we are trying to escape it as soon as possible. We must be constantly stimulated. Since the popularization of cell phones, we have turned to them instead of looking out into space when we are bored. Because of this issue, a group (New Tech City) has created an App that tracks daily cell phone usage and gives users daily challenges to use their cell less when they are bored. Perhaps in order for there to be a great social change we must use the nature of the beast to fight the beast itself?
The studies that I have found are in relation to the individual’s cell phone usage. I wonder then, if people are more likely to pull their cell phone out or use it as a barrier if they see someone else using it? Who started this trend? Has the cell phone become an extension of ourselves or is it simply “man’s best friend”?
Extension of Angelo's Cell Phone as Social Crutches
Angelo's idea of using cell phones as an escape from boredom got me thinking of a few different things. The first was the issue of cell phone use in the classroom. Having a 14 year old sister, I often notice how much she uses her phone while in class throughout her school day. Sometimes I'll see her posting on instagram or twitter during the day, and I think, 'aren't you supposed to be in school?' I've said
this to her, and her response has always been "I was bored". I can't help but think that if my she didn't bring her phone to school everyday, or at least left it in her locker or bag during class, that her grades would improve. Now a days it isn't enough to just be in class, a student must make a conscious decision to put their phone to rest during class time- something that is extremely difficult for a lot of people. But this is where the problem lies- in the idea that we "need" these phones for every day life. God forbid my sister does have to go without a phone for a few days (if she breaks it or loses it) she becomes consumed with the fact that she doesn't have it. She will constantly complain that she wishes she had it, and relentlessly ask me or our other sister to borrow our phones to text her friends or check her instagram. The cell phone has become a huge distraction in the classroom. I even notice myself zone out while sometimes texting in class, and when I do join the class again I'll notice that I've completely missed a discussion and the professor has moved on to something else. I found an interesting article that addresses this issue. Researchers in a laboratory-based study measured the level of distraction in students who use devices (including computers) in the classroom compared to students that don't. The results were not surprising. They explained that the study suggested the following: "students who frequently switch their attention back and forth—from listening to a lecture or answering questions to activities such as texting or updating social networking sites, for example—may actually be less able to filter out irrelevant distractions from pertinent information—even when they are not texting or social networking".
This all reminded me of the four months I recently went without a cell phone, which I can honestly say was the best thing I've ever done for myself. Over the summer of last year I went through three iphones, two of three my dad reluctantly replaced for me. Needless to say, when I left the third one on the drunk train of the LIRR, I didn't dare ask him for a replacement. Although I wouldn't position myself as someone who was at all 'addicted' to my phone, I was, before this, very accustomed to the luxuries it provided me with. I only planned to go without it for a few weeks until I could save up some money, but I ended up surprisingly content with being phone-less. I had my laptop, and one of my five roommates was always around and willing to let me use their phone if I needed to make a call, so I was still able to talk to friends and family- just not at all times of the day. It was over the course of those four months that I realized our smart phones are a luxury that we view as a necessity. Sure, they make life a lot easier, but at the cost of becoming dependent upon them. I'll admit the first week or two was far from easy and quite frankly took a lot of adjusting. I had to use an actual alarm clock, wear a watch, remember to print out directions if I had to drive somewhere far, use CDs in my car, and had to go out knowing that no one could contact me if they needed to. But these were the easy parts of being phone-less. What was more difficult, was finding other ways to counteract boredom and loneliness- since I now didn't have my phone to stare it or use to casually text some friends. Angelo was correct in saying that most of the time, we are using our phones to escape boredom. Eventually, my boyfriend gave me his moms old iphone 4 (still have it) because my 'phonelessness' was more of a bother to him and my family than it was to me. Of course I was excited to have those luxuries again, so I took it, but my attitude toward the phone was completely changed. I found myself letting it die more often, misplacing it in the house for a full day without panic, using social media far less, answering texts when I got a chance rather than dropping whatever I was doing. Above all, I learned to be content without constant stimulation and connection through my phone.
In 2011 Pew Research did a study and found that 42% of all cell owners used their phone for entertainment when they were bored; 70% of users 18-29 do this. We must keep in mind that this includes cell phone’s intended and unintended use.
In another example, 1000 passersby in New York City were counted and it was found that 1/3 of them were holding onto their cell phones or using them while walking. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxlIE7fc-Vs). To some it would seem that they must always be ready in case they are needed and to others there is a sense of comfort in holding onto their cell phones even if they are not using it. This video also brings up the idea of spacing out and how it is beneficial to our creativity and mental health to do so.
The above video was featured in an NPR article that did a great job of summarizing the issue. In this article, they argue that people forgot how to be bored. When we are bored we are trying to escape it as soon as possible. We must be constantly stimulated. Since the popularization of cell phones, we have turned to them instead of looking out into space when we are bored. Because of this issue, a group (New Tech City) has created an App that tracks daily cell phone usage and gives users daily challenges to use their cell less when they are bored. Perhaps in order for there to be a great social change we must use the nature of the beast to fight the beast itself?
The studies that I have found are in relation to the individual’s cell phone usage. I wonder then, if people are more likely to pull their cell phone out or use it as a barrier if they see someone else using it? Who started this trend? Has the cell phone become an extension of ourselves or is it simply “man’s best friend”?
-Angelo Lambroschino
Sources:
http://www.pewinternet.org/2011/08/15/americans-and-their-cell-phones/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxlIE7fc-Vs
http://www.wnyc.org/series/bored-and-brilliant/
http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2015/01/12/376717870/bored-and-brilliant-a-challenge-to-disconnect-from-your-phone
Extension of Angelo's Cell Phone as Social Crutches
Angelo's idea of using cell phones as an escape from boredom got me thinking of a few different things. The first was the issue of cell phone use in the classroom. Having a 14 year old sister, I often notice how much she uses her phone while in class throughout her school day. Sometimes I'll see her posting on instagram or twitter during the day, and I think, 'aren't you supposed to be in school?' I've said
this to her, and her response has always been "I was bored". I can't help but think that if my she didn't bring her phone to school everyday, or at least left it in her locker or bag during class, that her grades would improve. Now a days it isn't enough to just be in class, a student must make a conscious decision to put their phone to rest during class time- something that is extremely difficult for a lot of people. But this is where the problem lies- in the idea that we "need" these phones for every day life. God forbid my sister does have to go without a phone for a few days (if she breaks it or loses it) she becomes consumed with the fact that she doesn't have it. She will constantly complain that she wishes she had it, and relentlessly ask me or our other sister to borrow our phones to text her friends or check her instagram. The cell phone has become a huge distraction in the classroom. I even notice myself zone out while sometimes texting in class, and when I do join the class again I'll notice that I've completely missed a discussion and the professor has moved on to something else. I found an interesting article that addresses this issue. Researchers in a laboratory-based study measured the level of distraction in students who use devices (including computers) in the classroom compared to students that don't. The results were not surprising. They explained that the study suggested the following: "students who frequently switch their attention back and forth—from listening to a lecture or answering questions to activities such as texting or updating social networking sites, for example—may actually be less able to filter out irrelevant distractions from pertinent information—even when they are not texting or social networking".
This all reminded me of the four months I recently went without a cell phone, which I can honestly say was the best thing I've ever done for myself. Over the summer of last year I went through three iphones, two of three my dad reluctantly replaced for me. Needless to say, when I left the third one on the drunk train of the LIRR, I didn't dare ask him for a replacement. Although I wouldn't position myself as someone who was at all 'addicted' to my phone, I was, before this, very accustomed to the luxuries it provided me with. I only planned to go without it for a few weeks until I could save up some money, but I ended up surprisingly content with being phone-less. I had my laptop, and one of my five roommates was always around and willing to let me use their phone if I needed to make a call, so I was still able to talk to friends and family- just not at all times of the day. It was over the course of those four months that I realized our smart phones are a luxury that we view as a necessity. Sure, they make life a lot easier, but at the cost of becoming dependent upon them. I'll admit the first week or two was far from easy and quite frankly took a lot of adjusting. I had to use an actual alarm clock, wear a watch, remember to print out directions if I had to drive somewhere far, use CDs in my car, and had to go out knowing that no one could contact me if they needed to. But these were the easy parts of being phone-less. What was more difficult, was finding other ways to counteract boredom and loneliness- since I now didn't have my phone to stare it or use to casually text some friends. Angelo was correct in saying that most of the time, we are using our phones to escape boredom. Eventually, my boyfriend gave me his moms old iphone 4 (still have it) because my 'phonelessness' was more of a bother to him and my family than it was to me. Of course I was excited to have those luxuries again, so I took it, but my attitude toward the phone was completely changed. I found myself letting it die more often, misplacing it in the house for a full day without panic, using social media far less, answering texts when I got a chance rather than dropping whatever I was doing. Above all, I learned to be content without constant stimulation and connection through my phone.
References
http://teachingcenter.wustl.edu/Journal/Reviews/Pages/Research-In-Class-Devices.aspx
-Julie