Download Cell Phone Addiction: How do cell phones affect U.S. university

Cell Phone Addiction:
How do cell phones affect peoples’ lives, a
psychological study
Course: Reading and Writing II
Professor: Michael Chen
Presentor: Bena Ho, 95101065
Introduction
• My topic: about how “cell phone addiction”
affects peoples’ lives
• How is it related to audience?
1. As college students, almost every one of us
possesses a cell phone.
2. Cell phone usage are common among our college
students
• 3. Have you ever felt that it’s a “must” to check your
cell phone everyday, including text message, phone
calls or voicemails?
• 4. Dose using cell phone distract you from writing
homework such as essays?
RESEARCH QUESTION:
I. What cell phone addiction symptoms
do people have?
II. How do people feel when they use
their cell phones?
Is there psychological and physical
reasons which triggers these symptoms?
First, what is cell phone addiction?
• 1. Regarded as “Impulse Control Disorder”
• 2. Cell Phone addiction symptoms check List:
Do you have your cell phone with you constantly, even at home
you have it in your pocket or right next to you?
Do you find someone to call as soon as you leave the classroom?
Do you always feel anxious about your cell phone, especially
when you are unable to use it ? (e.x. in class)
Do you take cell phone breaks while doing homework?
Do you experience high levels of anxiety, stress, or insecurity
whenever you are without your cell phone?
Do you sometimes believe your phone is ringing, but when you
answer it or listen longer you find it wasn't ringing at all (known
as 'phantom ringing')?
International Center for Media & the Public Affairs
This chart shows the emotions and reactions of students in 10 countries who went
without media for 24 hours. The numbers represent relative weights for each country.
CELL PHONE ADDICTION
• Cell phone addiction
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27KNuVY1N
t0&feature=related
• Texting addiction
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9umfbZTF
iI&feature=related
SURVEY founds that…
• According to the survey conducted by the Pew
Research Center's Internet & American Life
Project:
“(In the U.S.,)cell phone ownership is especially
prominent among young adults, as 96% of 18-29
year olds now own a mobile phone.” (Aaron
Smith)
In Stanford’s study of Iphone Addiction:
• College students:
• TOTAL participants:200
• “75 percent confessed to sleeping with their
iPhone next to them.”
• “15 percent said the iPhone was turning them
into a media addict”
• “30 percent referred to their smartphone as a
doorway into the world."
• 41 percent felt it would be "a tragedy" to lose
their iPhone.”
How does cell phone addiction happen?
Physically:
• The Brain-wiring Center
• a brain messenger (controls activities such as
reward, feeling good)
• Neurotransmitter
• Dopamine
•
Feeling of Euphoria!!
“Dopamine is responsible for the euphoria that addicts chase, …the
addict becomes conditioned to compulsively seek, crave and recreate
the sense of elation while off-line or off-drug.”
• Dopamine
transmits the feeling of euphoria for N times
(repeat over and over again !)
Brain’s Pleasure Center
Addiction!
Brain
Pleasure
Center
Dopamine
neurotransmitter
The brain-wiring
system
Brain
messenger(control
feeling of reward)
How does cell phone addiction happen?
Psychologically: adolescence mind
• According to Jessor (1977):
• 1. gain admission to peer groups, demonstrate
identification with a youth subculture
• 2. confirm personal identity
• 3. express opposition to adult authority and
conventional society
• 4. take control of their lives
• 5. make a development transition into young
adulthood
• 6.Pleasure and fun-seeking
Why “addict”?
• After doing some search, I found that…
• Cell phone over-use v.s CBT(cognitive
behavioral therapy):
• “Cognitive restructuring exercises are also introduced to help the
person recognize why behavioural avoidance, reassurance-seeking
behaviours and ‘safety’ behaviours (e.g., the person
experiencing panic who always carries a cell phone just
in case he or she needs to call for help) are unhelpful long-term
strategies. CBT has been found to be effective for all the
anxiety disorders.” (Center of Addiction and Mental Health)
Working as Slot machine--addictive
• Brain trained to have associative learning:
memory
• Create an relationship between the feeling of
winning to the act of gambling/addiction(cell
phone overuse)
• During the intermittent time: your brain springs
up the craving of checking cell phones
Therefore, conclusion:
• Cell phone addiction is very likely arisen from:
• 1. a kind of cognitive behavioral disorder (anxiety
of insecurity)
• 2. associative learning form (create associative
memory, expect, and craving)
• 3. For young adults: to gain admission to peer
groups, express opposition to adult authority, and
make a development transition into young
adulthood
THANK YOU
Have you use your cell phone today?