Web MD
I'm not the only one struggling with this very modern compulsion. According to a 2012 survey by the Pew Research Center, 46% of all American adults now own a smartphone -- up a whopping 25% from 2011.
And smartphone use can get very heavy. In a study of 1,600 managers and professionals, Leslie Perlow, PhD, the Konosuke Matsushita professor of leadership at the Harvard Business School, found that:
The smartphone, through its small size, ease of use, proliferation of free or cheap apps, and constant connectivity, changes our relationship with computers in a way that goes well beyond what we experienced with laptops," he says. That's because people keep their smartphones near them "from the moment they wake up until the moment they go to bed, and throughout that time the devices provide an almost continuous stream of messages and alerts as well as easy access to a myriad of compelling information sources.
"By design," he says, "it's an environment of almost constant interruptions and distractions. The smartphone, more than any other gadget, steals from us the opportunity to maintain our attention, to engage in contemplation and reflection, or even to be alone with our thoughts."
And smartphone use can get very heavy. In a study of 1,600 managers and professionals, Leslie Perlow, PhD, the Konosuke Matsushita professor of leadership at the Harvard Business School, found that:
- 70% said they check their smartphone within an hour of getting up.
- 56% check their phone within an hour of going to sleep.
- 48% check over the weekend, including on Friday and Saturday nights.
- 51% check continuously during vacation.
- 44% said they would experience "a great deal of anxiety" if they lost their phone and couldn't replace it for a week.
The smartphone, through its small size, ease of use, proliferation of free or cheap apps, and constant connectivity, changes our relationship with computers in a way that goes well beyond what we experienced with laptops," he says. That's because people keep their smartphones near them "from the moment they wake up until the moment they go to bed, and throughout that time the devices provide an almost continuous stream of messages and alerts as well as easy access to a myriad of compelling information sources.
"By design," he says, "it's an environment of almost constant interruptions and distractions. The smartphone, more than any other gadget, steals from us the opportunity to maintain our attention, to engage in contemplation and reflection, or even to be alone with our thoughts."
Huffington Post
Time magazine's Techland section conducted a massive, fascinating international poll of 5,000 Americans, Britons, South Koreans, Chinese, Indians, South Africans, Indonesians, and Brazilians, and found -- quite unsurprisingly if you've been following smartphone addiction stats -- that everyone in the entire world is unable to simply leave their phone in their pockets. The Time survey paints an unmistakable portrait of a world collectively staring at a tiny display screen for hours and hours of every day. Among the incredible evidence of our impending cybernetic future from the piece: - 84 percent of respondents said that they could not go a single day without their cellphones.
- 50 percent of Americans sleep with their phone next to them like a teddy bear or a spouse, a number that includes more than 80 percent of 18-24 year olds.
- 20 percent of respondents check their phone every 10 minutes.
- 24 percent said they had used text messages to set up a rendezvous with someone they were having an affair with, a number that includes 56 percent of Chinese respondents.
Super Media
A leading college entertainment media company, Study Breaks College Media, conducted the survey of 689 college students in conjunction with College2Careers. The goal was to assess exactly what students are doing on the thousands of phones on campus at any given time. Questions ranged from how often students scan QR codes to how often students purchase items online via their mobile device.
The results revealed that of those students surveyed:
“What this means is that, like it or not, mobile devices are an extension of college students – a practical limb – and it’s crucial that businesses take advantage of this,” said Study Breaks in a recent announcement. “To do this, a business should develop mobile marketing tactics and a mobile site to increase interactivity and reach potential college students at any time via the one form of media that they never put down: their mobile device.”
According to ABIResearch, dependence on mobile devices is no passing trend: it is predicted that 1.2 billion smart phones will enter the market over the next 15 years.
The results revealed that of those students surveyed:
- 93% use their mobile to search for business information
- 40% prefer mobile-optimized sites
- 32% use their mobile for visiting business websites, while 68% use their laptops
- 68% “check in” with social media via mobile
- 91% use their mobile to check/compose email
- 46% use their mobile to scan QR codes in a print ad
“What this means is that, like it or not, mobile devices are an extension of college students – a practical limb – and it’s crucial that businesses take advantage of this,” said Study Breaks in a recent announcement. “To do this, a business should develop mobile marketing tactics and a mobile site to increase interactivity and reach potential college students at any time via the one form of media that they never put down: their mobile device.”
According to ABIResearch, dependence on mobile devices is no passing trend: it is predicted that 1.2 billion smart phones will enter the market over the next 15 years.