According to the author of the study, Professor in marketing James Roberts, cell phones are part of our consumer culture. “It is not only a tool of consumption, but also a symbol of social status.
The study of Dr. Roberts, co-written with Stephen Pirog, an Assistant in marketing from Seton Hall University, Professor revealed that materialism and impulsiveness fed this addiction to the cell phone. These devices are used in a clear context of ritual of consumption, in addition to having an influence to calm the impulsive user trends, according to Dr. Roberts. This impulsiveness, he noted, plays an important role in behavioral addictions and dependencies to illicit substances.
This is the first study to investigate the role of materialism in dependence on the cell phone. According to Dr. Roberts, materialism is an important value for consumers, which has a significant impact on purchasing decisions we take. The use of the cell phone and its overuse would also become so prevalent that it is important to understand what motivates such a dependence on technology.
Previous studies have shown that young adults send averaged 109.5 text messages a day, or about 3200 text messages a month. It receive more 113 on a daily basis and check their cell about 60 times a day, then University students interact with tools of technology of information and communication for approximately seven hours a day.
“At first glance, we might tend to reject such aberrant use of the cell as being a huge bound youth… a transient trend.”. But more and more scientific texts come cement to the cellular and other behavioural dependencies dependency theory,”says Dr. Roberts.
The data used for this new study from voluntary surveys 191 students in shops in two American universities. About 90 per cent of University students using a cell phone and, says Dr. Roberts, “this one has more than a purely utilitarian role.
Cell phones are accessible at all times, including in the classroom, and have more functions, which makes their use more likely. A majority of young people say that losing their device would have a disastrous impact on their social lives, said the researcher.
Image courtesy of imtfi