Cell Phones: What to do with Them Cell Phones: What to do with Them? Statistics (CTIA wireless industry survey, 2016) 92% of US adults have a cellphone 90% of owners say it’s frequently with them (PEW Research Center, 2015) 31% of owners say they never turn it off (PEW Research Center, 2015) 70% of adults own a smartphone Americans exchanged more than 2.1 trillion videos, texts and photo messages last year (more than 4 million every minute) MSCA2017©MLFry

Adults think it’s OK (Rainie & Zickuhr, 2015) N = 3217 adults (PEW Research Study, 2014) 77% - walking down street 75% - on public transit 38% - at restaurants 5% - at a meeting Social gatherings 86% stated someone else used MSCA2017©MLFry

What about in Social Situations? 89% admitted use 86% someone else used Send or read messages, take photos or videos, receive incoming calls 16% - “No longer interested in group activity” 15% - “To connect with those not at group activity” 10% - “To avoid participating in group discussion” 45% - to post a picture or video of group 41% - share something that occurred in group 38% - get information interesting to group 31% - connect with others known to group MSCA2017©MLFry

Young Adults (18-29) XX = no significant difference in age groups 90% - on public transportation 86% - waiting in line 78% - walking down the street 50% - at a restaurant 16% - while at a family dinner 11% - at a movie theater or where others are quiet 10% - during a meeting 9% - at a church or worship service XX = no significant difference in age groups MSCA2017©MLFry

Recent Studies Interpersonal motives for cell phone use, face-to-face interaction, and loneliness (Jin & Park, 2010) Presence of a cell phone could have negative consequences on social interactions (Thornton, et.al, 2014) Use and abuse of cell phones and text messages in the classroom (Tindall & Bohlander, 2012) Parent monitoring by cell phone (Weisskirch, 2009) MSCA2017©MLFry

Interpersonal Motives for Cell Phone Use 232 college age students Higher levels of interpersonal motives for calling predict an increased use of voice calls and text messaging Greater amount of face-to-face interaction predicts a greater amount of cell phone use Greater amount of face-to-face interaction DOES NOT predict a greater amount of text messaging Higher levels of loneliness were LESS likely to engage in face-to-face interaction, cell phone use and texting MSCA2017©MLFry

Cell Phone Presence & Performance Undergraduate students, ages 18-46 N = 54 The “mere presence” of a cell phone may be sufficiently distracting to produce diminished attention and deficits in task performance MSCA2017©MLFry

Use/Abuse of Cell Phone in Classroom 269 college aged students 97% admitted using cell phones in classroom Most feel instructors do not know Easier to receive messages than to send messages 10% admitted sending or receiving texts during an exam 31% stated sending text affected through loss of attention and/or poor grades Recommendations that a stricter cell phone policy be used in university classrooms Faculty must enforce the policy for it to be effective AND monitor the use of cell phones MSCA2017©MLFry

Parent Monitoring 196 parent-adolescent dyads Parents who create clear expectations for cell phone use may enhance the relationship Parents who call more frequently – decreased family relations, less truthfulness, and decrease parental knowledge Adolescent initiated calls – increase truthfulness, increased family relations and increase parental knowledge MSCA2017©MLFry

School Policies Vary No restrictions – philosophy of teaching proper choice Cell phones should not hinder learning – in classrooms only with teacher approval Cell phones can be used BEFORE and AFTER school, passing periods and during lunch Cell phones are not allowed during school day including classrooms, passing periods and lunch MSCA2017©MLFry

Lawson High School’s cell phone policy Students are not allowed to use portable/cell phones, smart watches/devices, or any other personal electronic communication device during normal school day.  Non-compliance will result in confiscation of device and parent/guardian will need to pick up in office.  Second and subsequent non-compliance shall result in confiscation and/or In School Suspension 1-180 days or Out of School Suspension 1-180 days. MSCA2017©MLFry

Benefits Elimination of cheating by using devices (through transmission, taking photos of tests or classwork, etc.) Cyberbullying is essentially eradicated (if they don’t have a way to cyberbully, it doesn’t happen at school) Eliminates the opportunity to take inappropriate pictures (i.e. in locker rooms, restrooms, etc.) Improves students’ social and emotional interaction (they aren’t staring at a screen, they are talking, laughing, interacting with each other) MSCA2017©MLFry

References Jim, B., & Park, N. (2010). In-person contacts begets calling and texting: Interpersonal motives for cell phone use, face-to-face interaction, and loneliness. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 13(6), pp. 611-618. doi:10.1089/cyber.2009.0314 Rache, R. (May 23, 2016). Americans love wireless data. Retrieved from https://www.ctia.org/industry-data/blog-details/blog-posts/americans-love-wireless-data Rainie, L. & Zickuhr, K. (August 26, 2015) Americans’ views on mobile etiquette. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/08/26/americans-views-on-mobile-etiquette/ Thornton, B., Faires, A., Robbins, M., & Rollins, E. (2014). The mere presence of a cell phone may be distracting: Implications for attention and task performance. Social Psychology, 45(6), pp. 479-488. doi:10.1027/1864-9335/a000216 Tindall, D. & Bohlander, R. (2012). The use and abuse of cell phones and text messaging in the classroom: A survey of college students. College Teaching, 60, pp. 1-9. doi:10.1080/87567555.2011.604802 Weisskirch, R. (2009). Parenting by cell phone: Parental monitoring of adolescents and family relations. J Youth Adolescence 38, pp. 1123-1139. doi:10.1007/s10964-008-9374-8 MSCA2017©MLFry

Lynn Knoch knoch@lawsoncardinals.org Dr. Mary Fry mlfry@mnu.edu