Introduction
The ubiquitous presence of smartphones in a rapidly changing digital communication context combines work and leisure activities like social networking, with a prime example being the integration of social media usage into work settings. The pervasive day-to-day telephone use of the people on GFK Consulting Group is the basis for investigating its comprehensive influence on the individual’s health and well-being. However, our client, LET’S MEET ONLINE, an emerging social media platform, understands that it is crucial to comprehend the subtle complexities that influence user experience.
Literature Review
Matthes et al. (2020) add to the debate by looking into the effects of mobile social networking sites on information overload, depressive symptoms, and general health. This introduces an extra dimension to the discussion, making it more difficult because the instruments intended to promote good relations between people could even create adverse mental outcomes. Abi-Jaoude, Naylor and Pignatiello (2020) investigate smartphones, the use of social media and youth mental health. This study examines the possible effects of smartphone usage on the younger generation’s health. Research findings demonstrate that increased smartphone and social media use is associated with worse mental health in adolescents, suggesting the need to understand the complex process better to protect individuals as well as societal well-being. Nie, Ma, and Sousa-Poza (2021) add a different dimension to the studies that examine the relationship between mobile phone usage and subjective well-being in rural China. This research broadens the contextual appreciation of the daily use of a phone, pointing out diverse impacts across cultures and geographic regions.
Busch et al. (2021) focus on an ignored group – older adults and their smartphone usage. These studies highlight how this population utilizes smartphones and identify the opportunities and obstacles associated with this technology. Smartphone use and its implications for age-related changes in phone usage can only be adequately addressed if a deeper understanding of the process is achieved. Fitz et al. (2019) discuss a practical intervention by examining the effect of batching smartphone notifications on well-being. The study proposes a solution to the impact of constant digital interruptions through messages in an era. This practical viewpoint also enriches the literature by adding dimensions of potential solutions and that it is possible to manage some smartphone behaviours to improve well-being (Horwood & Anglim, 2019). The studies provide different angles that broaden our understanding of the nuanced association between phone use and personal and social health.
Secondary Research
We examined specifically how phone-distracted parenting affected parenting and child outcomes. Through this, the emerging research in Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies reviewed the reasons for parents’ phone usage and its impacts on familial relations. The implication of daily phone use on society goes far beyond the single well-being and focuses on family relations, considering the whole situation as interrelated. In addition, Niu et al. (2020) investigated the relationship between adolescents’ problematic smartphone use and parental phubbing (snubbing and prioritizing an individual’s phone over a person). The study also explored the impact of parent-child. This point of view is imperative in developing a more complete picture of how everyday phone usage touches upon many aspects of lives, transcends generations, and affects social encounters. These findings from secondary research form the starting point of a detailed analysis of the operational part of the research question, considering the complex way mobile phones are used in practice.
Research Questions
The resultant research questions based on our intensive literature review and secondary research intend to determine how frequent daily phone use is and its implications on individuals’ and societal well-being. Research Question 1: To what extent do the frequency and intensity of smartphone use relate to subjective well-being in different cultural and geographical settings? Taking a cue from Nie et al.’s (2021) work in rural China, we attempt to uncover the complex interaction between daily cell phone absorption and life satisfaction within various cultural environments. This question aims to reveal the different settings regarding smartphone usage and their effects, which can only be explained by considering non-Western approaches. Research Question 2: How do parent-child relationships shape adolescents’ problematic mobile phone use, especially parent phubbing? Drawing from Niu et al. 2020, this question looks into more complex factors within families and how their actions affect young people using smartphones.\ Family has a role in reducing the effects of daily phone usage and its societal implications.
Research Question 3: What is the relation between different age profiles – particularly older people – to daily use of smartphones? This question is based on the study of Busch et al. (2021), and it explores the challenges and advantages encountered by elderly persons as they interact with smartphones. Through studying the lives of these rarely represented groups, it is hoped that this study would add suggestions for designing digital technology to cater to different users’ needs at varying age levels. Research Question 4: Would practical interventions like smartphone batching boost one’s well-being? Based on the experimental observations made by Fitz et al. (2019), this question aims to explore possible solutions to counteract the adverse effects of permanent digital disturbances. Examining the efficacy of interventions on smartphone use habits may offer practical guidance for people and technology designers looking to improve digital environments.
Findings and Discussion
The literature review and research questions underpin our primary research, which comprises Studies 1 and 2, exploring the complexities of daily phone use and its impact on well-being. Study 1 surveyed different cultural groups to examine the links between subjective well-being and smartphone use patterns. Initial results reveal a complex connection between daily telephone use and health status. Like many, Nie, Ma, and Souz-Poxa (2021) have said that different nationalities and geological conditions played an essential role in people’s opinions about the well. Our second study examined family dynamics and adolescent smartphone use and answered our research question about parents’ and children’s relationships. Preliminary outcomes point to an alluring link between parental phubbing and adolescent mobile phone misuse. The study highlights the role of family interactions in developing individuals’ online behaviour, indicating the need for comprehensive interventions targeting the family system.
Combined with essential aspects from the literature review, there is no single solution for everyday phone use. A fundamental part came into light, concurrent with findings from Busch et al. (2021): age. Smartphone use patterns vary among older adults, emphasizing the importance of customized solutions that cater to their individual requirements. This aligns with our overall goal to understand daily phones in the lifespan. In addition, we found it relevant to consider the practical implications of Fitz et al.’s (2019) research on batching smartphone notifications. Those participants who practised notification batches had higher levels of general well-being (Can et al., 2019). This highlights the importance of looking for means to reduce the damage caused by the endless digital disruptions, providing usable tactics to improve digital well-being.
Conclusion
In our comprehensive investigation of the effect of daily phone use on well-being, we uncover a complex and interconnected world that goes beyond subjective experiences and includes notions of culture, Family and age. Drawing from research sources, including academic literature, secondary research, and primary studies, we reveal an intricate connection between phone use and well-being, calling for tailored awareness. We have navigated through various domains, including the cross-cultural variations in subjective well-being and the effect of parent-child relationships on digital behaviour. Such findings add to the academic debate on the utilization of technology and provide practical significance for LET’S MEET ONLINE, where the company can devise user-centred tactics that match well with the varied pathways in which people experience phone usage. Standing at the crossroads between technology and well-being, our study highlights the need for an integrated lens towards generating a beneficial and fulfilling digital experience among individuals from diverse backgrounds.
References
Abi-Jaoude, E., Naylor, K. T., & Pignatiello, A. (2020). Smartphones, social media use and youth mental health. Cmaj, 192(6), E136-E141.
Busch, P. A., Hausvik, G. I., Ropstad, O. K., & Pettersen, D. (2021). Smartphone usage among older adults. Computers in Human Behavior, 121, 106783.
Can, Y. S., Arnrich, B., & Ersoy, C. (2019). Stress detection in daily life scenarios using smartphones and wearable sensors: A survey. Journal of biomedical informatics, 92, 103139.
Fitz, N., Kushlev, K., Jagannathan, R., Lewis, T., Paliwal, D., & Ariely, D. (2019). Batching smartphone notifications can improve well-being. Computers in Human Behavior, pp. 101, 84–94.
Horwood, S., & Anglim, J. (2019). Problematic smartphone usage and subjective and psychological well-being. Computers in Human Behavior, pp. 97, 44–50.
Matthes, J., Karsay, K., Schmuck, D., & Stevic, A. (2020). “Too much to handle”: Impact of mobile social networking sites on information overload, depressive symptoms, and well-being. Computers in Human Behavior, 105, 106217.
Nie, P., Ma, W., & Sousa-Poza, A. (2021). The relationship between smartphone use and subjective well-being in rural China. Electronic Commerce Research, 21, 983-1009.
Niu, G., Yao, L., Wu, L., Tian, Y., Xu, L., & Sun, X. (2020). Parental phubbing and adolescent problematic mobile phone use: The role of parent-child relationship and self-control. Children and Youth Services Review, 116, 105247.
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