Running Head: RESEARCH DESIGN AND ANALYSIS 1
The Influence of Age on Social Interaction and Cell Phone Use in Public Environments Jayden A. McClam
Howard University
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Abstract
Many people conjecture that youth are too often on their phones and avoiding face-to-face
interaction with other people. This observational study evaluated if a person’s age actually influences the frequency with which they use their phones or interact with other humans. Researchers went to two restaurants and observed 40 patrons as they waited in line for the cash register, taking note of their apparent age and the amount of times they interacted with either their phone or another person in line. The data showed that most individuals across age ranges use their phone more than they talked to other people, except the group of people between the ages of 46-60. In conclusion, individuals generally use their phones more than they interact with other people in a public setting.
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Introduction
The goal of this cross-sectional study was to ascertain whether or not a person’s age
influences the frequency with which they engage with their cell phone and disengage with their outside environment. In the past years the prevalence of cell phones has increased drastically. In his study, Miller determined that most people use their phones as a way to pass idle time (Miller, 85). In this way, they have become incorporated into people’s everyday lives and moments. Cell phones are no longer strictly for communicating via calls and texts; the devices are now used to research information, take photos, play games, and engage with others social media. In their research Gutierrez, Fonseca, and Rubio determined that these additional features have made cell phones addictive, particularly to young women who experience more societal pressure to be sociable, and whose age makes them more susceptible to addiction (Gutierrez, Fonseca, Rubio, 9). Bilieux et al. similarly relayed that people experience positive sensation and then form codependent relationships with the technology (Bilieux et al, 13). Further, Andinoe determined that young people between the ages of 12-25 spend more time on their cell phones than people 26+ (Andone, Błaszkiewicz, 4). All of these previous findings would imply that people under the age of 30 would use their phones more than those older than that.
Method
Participants
The 40 participants of this study appeared to be a mixture of Howard students and faculty, high school students, and other people who were unaffiliated with the University. Their ages spanned from 16-75. They were of all genders and races, though predominantly Black.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND ANALYSIS 4
Design
This was a cross-sectional observational study. The participants were unaware that they were being observed. The independent variable measured was the age of the person in the restaurant. The first dependent variable was the amount of times that they engaged with their phones. The second dependent variable was the amount of times they interacted with another person.
Materials
The only materials used were the paper and writing utensils that the researchers used to record data.
Procedure
Researchers observed the environments of two fast-food restaurants in the same area at the same time. They observed individuals from the time that they came into the restaurant to the time that they reached the cash register. The researchers recorded the subjects’ perceived gender, age, the amount of times that the person interacted either verbally or nonverbally with another person (excluding the cashier), and the amount of times that the person engaged with their cell phone (e.g., swiped on their screen). Data collected from both environments have been combined.
Results
Table 1:
Age
Average of Phone interactions
Average of Human interactions
16-30
3.136363636
0.2727272727
31-45
3.4
0.9
46-60
0.4
0.6
61-75
2.666666667
1
RESEARCH DESIGN AND ANALYSIS 5
The twenty-two participants who were between the ages of 16-30 used their phones an average of 3.1 times, and only interacted with another person about .3 times. The eight individuals between the ages of 31-45 used their phones slightly higher at 3.4 times, and had slightly less than 1 interaction with another person. The five participants who were between 46-60 used their phones only .4 times, and interacted with other people .6 times. Finally, the three people between the ages 61-75 used their phones an average of 2.7 times, and had 1 interaction with another person in the restaurant.
Discussion
The data reports that people between the ages of 31-45 actually use their phones slightly more than those between the ages of 16-30. This goes against the hypothesis that youth would use their phones the most. Though, that age group did interact with other people the least. The reasoning for the lack of human interaction could be attributed to the fact that at many points there was only a single person in line; in that case, it is impossible to interact with other people besides the cashier. While interacting with their phones the most, those between 31-45 also interacted with other people the second most. This suggests a general sociability of the people in that age range. Interestingly, the individuals in the 46-60 group used their phone a whole integer less than those in their thirties and early forties, and interacted with other people more than they used their phone. They were the only group to do this. Lastly, the group of people between 61-75 still used their phone a significant amount, but interacted with people the most out of all the groups. This is most likely due to the fact that people in this age group tend to be more old-fashioned in their lifestyles.
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Though, there are many factors that could influence the accuracy of the data that was collected. The researchers at one restaurant were seated away from the line of patrons, and the setting of the restaurant was fast-paced. These things made it difficult for the researchers to discern what the patrons were doing while also maintaining their anonymity to avoid a change in subject behavior. Additionally, the observational study was conducted in the morning, and generally people are less likely to be social in the early mornings, especially if they have not eaten or drank. Finally, the number of subjects was skewed: there were only three people in the 61-75 age group, but 22 in the 16-30 group. The age of the sample was not evenly distributed, which could have negatively influenced the generalizability of the data collection.
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References
Andone, I., Błaszkiewicz, K., Eibes, M., Trendafilov, B., Montag, C., & Markowetz, A. (2016). How age and gender affect smartphone usage. Proceedings of the 2016 ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing Adjunct – UbiComp 16. doi:10.1145/2968219.2971451
Billieux, J., Linden, M. V., & Rochat, L. (2008). The role of impulsivity in actual and problematic use of the mobile phone. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 22(9), 1195-1210. doi:10.1002/acp.1429
De-Sola Gutiérrez, J., Rodríguez de Fonseca, F., & Rubio, G. (2016). Cell-Phone Addiction: A Review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 7, 175. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00175
Miller, R. C. (2015). The Mobile Phone and You: Human Interaction and Integration with Mobile Technology. ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University.