Impatience and Connectivity in Teenage Phone Use

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As the number of connections one has increases, so does the tendency for one to become impatient for having to wait or for time to be wasted.

For those used to the digital space, one might express impatience in because things online are so instant and life is not.

A heavily connected teenager, for instance, might quip that he or she is "bored" in the absence of stimulus. This has nothing to do with technology, but with the idea of living quickly.

According to a 2010 report on teenagers and cell phones by Pew Research, "Connectivity can beat back boredom for two-thirds of teen cell owners". For instance, "those who have more expensive and expansive cell phone plans are the most likely to say they use their cell phones to stave off boredom. Some 76% of teens who have unlimited text plans agree they use their phones to entertain themselves when they are bored. Furthermore, those who agree with this statement are likely to have used their cell phones in multiple ways and to use those data features often – not just for making calls".

For instance:

• 83% of those who have used their cell phones to buy things agree that they use their phones for entertainment when they are bored.
• 72% of those who take pictures with their cell phones and 91% of those who use their cells several times a day to take pictures agree that they use their phones to entertain themselves when they are bored.
• 84% of those who send emails on their cell phones and 89% of those who send emails several times a day say they use their phones to entertain themselves when they are bored.
• 72% of text message users and 79% of those who send text messages several times a day say they use their phones to entertain themselves when they are bored.
• 79% of those who play music on their cell phones and 85% of those who play music on their cell phones several times a day say they use their phones to entertain themselves when they are bored.

"Teens in the focus groups confirmed these findings, citing all of these activities as ways they use their phones for entertainment. Those who did not engage in these activities typically said it was because their phone did not have that particular feature or it was too expensive (i.e. to download a game to their phone). Not surprisingly, many focus group participants expressed a desire for high-end phones with the latest features, such as iPhones and phones with touch screens. One entertainment function teens seemed to use quite often is taking pictures with their phones. As mentioned earlier in this report, several focus group respondents, mostly girls, said that they often take pictures of silly or interesting things they come across, just for fun or to share with friends".

"Speaking to the extent to which teens rely on their phones for entertainment, several of the teens in the focus groups said they would not know how to occupy their time if they did not have their phones. In the words of one high school boy, when asked what it is like to not have your phone:"

"It really sucks…you grow accustomed to having it so much, so like when you don’t have it you’ve got to find other things to occupy your time. I’ll be like, ‘I should read a book! No I shouldn’t, I should have my phone!’ And it just really sucks. But actually, like if you really think about how much you use your phone and how much more you could be doing with your time, if you look at it like that, then you are really wasting a lot of time. Apart from the social and safety functions of cell phones, teens clearly utilize them as a tool for personal enjoyment, made easier with the increasingly advanced features of today’s cell phones".

The report cited "going off the grid" as a "coping strategy that works for half of teen cell owners". It mentioned that, "more than 4 in 5 teens with cell phones sleep with the phone on or near the bed", and that most teenagers reported "feeling obligated to stay connected".

Further Reading

• Teens and Mobile Phones by Amanda Lenhart, Rich Ling, Scott Campbell, Kristen Purcell, Apr 20, 2010.