Overuse is often defined as a “dependence syndrome,” which is the term used by the World Health Organization (WHO Expert Committee, 1964) to replace addictionor habituation. This is categorized either as substance abuse, such as from psychoactive drugs, alcohol and tobacco, or a behavioral addiction, such as a mobile phone addiction.
Mobile phone overuse
Mobile phone overuse (or problem mobile phone use) is a dependence syndrome seen among certain mobile phone users. Some mobile phone users exhibit problematic behaviors related to substance use disorders. These behaviors can include preoccupation with mobile communication, excessive money or time spent on mobile phones, use of mobile phones in socially or physically inappropriate situations such as driving an automobile. Increased use can also lead to increased time on mobile communication, adverse effects on relationships, and anxiety if separated from a mobile phone or sufficient signal.
Impact social life
There is an enormous impact of the mobile phone on contemporary society from a social scientific perspective. Some people are replacing face-to-face conversations with cybernetic ones. Some people even pretend to talk on the phone or fiddle with apps to avoid eye contact or other interactions at a party.
Is it out of control?
I will now give a few numerical results from Berardi (2012) to emphasize that we overuse the mobile phone;
- 35% almost always use their mobile phone while in a social setting
- 58% use it usually during these settings
- 80% check their phones in the morning within just one hour of getting up
- 66% check their phones before going to bed
- 51% constantly check their phones during vacation
- 70% check their phone on their way ( to work/school/doctor etc.)
- 44% would feel very anxious and irritable if they did not interact with their phones within a week
Do not forget that these numbers come from 2012. Can you imagine how high these rates should be right now?!
A research from 2015 shows that we check our mobile phone on average 221 time a day! That’s more than 1500 time a week!! It seems that we cannot live without it.
Solution?
Apparently, we cannot keep our phone usage in control by ourselves. DistractaGone, a start-up at Kickstarter, came with a “solution”. They offers a simple solution for mobile phone distraction: a locker box. This is their message:
Hi,
Thank you for not looking at your phone for a minute to read more about the DistractaGone. This device locks up to four phones (smaller and plus size models) for a time that you decide. Once it’s locked it can’t be opened (without furiously forcing it). This offers you a period without constant distraction.
Step 1. Place Phones
Step 2. Set Time
Step 3. Lock the Box
Step 4. Enjoy
They simply want to create a device to combat smartphone addiction and to help us make the world a more social place.
In my opinion, this goes too far. Do we really need a device, which forces us not to look at our mobile phone? Where are the mobile phone free parties and dinners? Do we really get them back with this locker box? Why can we just not stay in control of our mobile use? We do not need them all the time, do we?
References
Belardi, B. (Ed.). (18 June 2012). Consumers Crave iPhone More Than Facebook, Sex. Retrieved 15 October 2013 from PR Newswire website:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/consumers-crave-iphone-more-than-facebook-sex-according-to-gazelle-159430685.html
WHO. “Management of substance abuse: Dependence Syndrome”.
That we use our phones constantly isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Remember how we used to find our way in the city when we didn’t have instant maps at hand? Remember the times we had to wait for someone to be online in order to send them messages (MSN messenger), or when we texted them, hoping for a reply on the same day? The main reason people a so ‘addicted’ to their phone is because it saves us a lot of time and brings us convenience at our fingertips. Technology makes things happen immediately. It allows us to keep track of old friends, get immediate updates on their lives and even see current pictures.
Hi Sverre, thanks for your thoughts. I agree that technology makes things easier. I did not mean that we should stop using our mobile phones in every situation. Afcourse, finding your way became much easier and I often use it as well. However, my point is that we overuse our mobile phone in social settings. While having dinner with your friends, you do not need to have contact with your coach or colleague ( for example). And that’s what happening all the time. Let us just have social settings with the people who are physically around us and forget the online people for a couple of hours.
We are accustomed to seeing everyone responds quickly. To ensure that you will not react “too late”, we constantly have our mobile phone in our hands/ in our bags or on our body. I think we should be capable of not using our phones during social settings. And not having to put it in a lockerbox.
Hi Lotte, you are addressing a modern issue. I think life was less complicated without mobile phones and technology because people do react on an abundance of external incentives. Mobile phones and the applications on them give these stimulis because the companies behind it survive if individuals spent time using them. (If you are interested, a nice documentary about it: Tegenlicht – What makes you click).
Sociologist Simmel studied this aspect about human behavior in a modern society. He argues that people develop a specific defense mechanism. This mechanism allows for an increase in rationality and he claims that people behave apathetic and indifferent. They get an unsaturated look which is caused by a constant feeding of the intellect and the many incentives people are exposed to. Of course, these mobile phones give us a greater form of personal freedom but it will also create a larger personal distance between people. The result of it is that society is undergoing a cultural decline. Financial prosperity and sidedness are paramount, but an abundance of incentives will attenuate lives. I know that this reasoning is subjective compared to a science like mathematics. But I think mobile phones changes the way and speed of life. This has its benefits but also some downsides. Also these downsides should be considered.