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MASS COMMUNICATION

SMARTPHONE USAGE AND SOCIAL INTERACTION AMONG STUDENTS

SMARTPHONE USAGE AND SOCIAL INTERACTION AMONG STUDENTS

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SMARTPHONE USAGE AND SOCIAL INTERACTION AMONG STUDENTS

ABSTRACT

The study looked at smartphone usage and social interaction among Delta State University students studying social sciences. The technology acceptance model (TAM) served as the study’s theoretical basis.

Four research questions were posed to help guide the investigation. A questionnaire was used to solicit responses from one hundred and eighty-six respondents on how they use their smartphones for social connection and how they manage their social lives and academics.

The findings reveal that smartphones are widely used in social interactions. It also demonstrates that the majority of students prefer to engage with others rather than focus on their studies.

Based on these findings, it is recommended that students establish their priorities correctly by devoting adequate time to their academics, asking pertinent questions that will improve their level of contact with others, and putting their smartphones in flight mode or silent to avoid distractions in class.

Chapter one

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background for the Study

Smartphones have seized the world by storm, resulting in more smartphone devices than persons. The rapid rise of smartphones and their users has resulted in some marketers struggling to keep up with both new technologies and new ways of interacting with their audience; thus, there appears to be no equilibrium at this time, as smartphone manufacturers continue to try to strike a healthy balance between the rapid rise of smartphone users and the emerging new technologies.

Smartphones influence every area of our daily lives, both indirectly and directly, and can have a significant impact on the quality of social connections. Although new technology (such as smartphones) may be welcomed at first because they promise to make people’s lives easier and less stressful, cellphones may subsequently disclose unintended repercussions.

According to Misagal, Jollie, and Liezel (2016), smartphone development began in the early 1990s and peaked in 2007, led by various operating systems in constant development.

In 2011, RBC Capital project analyst Dan Frommer predicted that mobile phone sales will overtake PC sales, and that the number of smartphone users globally would treble from 165 million to over 500 million within a few years.

According to a recent survey provided by Twinpine Networks, a premium mobile advertising network in 2017, Nigeria remains the world’s most mobilised country. Mobile penetration in the country rose from 40% to 74% in 2017.

The “2017 Nigeria Mobile Trend Report” also revealed that there are 91.5 million unique mobile users in Nigeria out of an estimated 192 million people, and social media is the most popular activity among Nigerians, followed by using search engines, checking emails, and watching online videos. This helps to understand how important social connection is in an individual’s life.

According to Alfawareh and Jusoh (2014), a smartphone is a cellular phone that includes built-in applications and Internet connectivity. Ericsson originally released the R380 model in 2000. Smartphones are the result of the merger of cell phone and computer functionality.

According to Jubien (2013), a smartphone is a mobile computing device capable of performing operations such as phone calls, cellular and wireless internet connections, and downloading, installing, and executing programs.

Nowadays, cellphones are utilised to replace desktop or mobile PCs. According to Saraswathi (2017), smartphones not only provide digital voice service but also text messaging, e-mail, Web browsing, still and video cameras, MP3 players, video playback, and calling.

Smartphones are popular because of the applications they provide to consumers. With the capabilities that cellphones offer, people may easily connect with one another in various ways and access a variety of resources.

Smartphone usage has been expanding across all economic and age groups. University students are regarded as one of the most essential target markets. Smartphone usage has become critical for students since they use them for a variety of purposes, not only to access the internet, but also to experiment with new applications.

These functions enable users to speak with others face-to-face or instantly. Users can also obtain information while surfing the Internet, allowing them to escape from awkward situations. As a result, many students appear to rely significantly on their smartphones, which will undoubtedly lead to increased use.

According to Hong, Chiu, and Huang (2012), mobile phones are popular among students because they improve social communication and provide more options for forming social interactions. Smartphones provide an interactive feature to people all around the world.

It has become an essential component of every student’s life. This relationship is the very essence of life. Thus, social interaction encompasses all types of social ties between persons. Social interaction is the basis of society. It is the basic foundation of social life.

As a result, the phenomena of Smartphone use during social contact necessitates a more thorough investigation than previous studies. As a result, the focus of this research is on smartphone usage and social interaction among students, including how students interact with smartphones, the patterns of smartphone usage, social contact by students, and the extent to which students utilise their smartphones to interact.

The Delta State University, Abraka, also known as DELSU, is a state government university with its main campus at Abraka, Delta. Olorogun Felix Ibru, the state’s Executive Governor at the time, created it on April 30, 1992.

Delta State University, Abraka has historically been designated as a Centre of Education. It began as a Government Teachers’ Training College during the colonial era and continued for a few years afterward.

The University operates a multi-campus system, with three campuses located approximately 200 km apart. The University provides a wide range of programs, from full-time certificate, diploma, and degree programs to part-time evening and weekend degree programmes.

The University offers postgraduate programs up to the PhD level. Support services include a staff/student counselling centre, an e-learning centre, student housing, and athletic facilities, among others. It is one of twenty-five federal institutions governed and authorised by the National institutions Commission.

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