Keeping in constant touch: The predictors of young Australians’ mobile phone involvement

Little is known about the psychological underpinnings of young people’s mobile phone behaviour. In the present research, 292 young Australians, aged 16–24 years, completed an online survey assessing the effects of self-identity, in-group norm, the need to belong, and self-esteem on their frequency o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Computers in human behavior 2011, Vol.27 (1), p.333-342
Main Authors: Walsh, Shari P., White, Katherine M., Cox, Stephen, Young, Ross McD
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Age
Applied psychology
Australia
Behavioural
Biological and medical sciences
Cell phones
Developmental psychology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Human behavior
Identity
Mathematical models
Miscellaneous
Mobile phone
Motivations
Norms
On-line systems
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Young people
Youth
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Summary:Little is known about the psychological underpinnings of young people’s mobile phone behaviour. In the present research, 292 young Australians, aged 16–24 years, completed an online survey assessing the effects of self-identity, in-group norm, the need to belong, and self-esteem on their frequency of mobile phone use and mobile phone involvement, conceptualised as people’s degree of cognitive and behavioural association with their mobile phone. Structural equation modelling revealed that age (younger) and self-identity significantly predicted the frequency of mobile phone use. In contrast, age (younger), gender (female), self-identity and in-group norm predicted young people’s mobile phone involvement. Neither self-esteem nor the need to belong significantly predicted mobile phone behaviour. The present study contributes to our understanding of this phenomenon and provides an indication of the characteristics of young people who may become highly involved with their mobile phone.
ISSN:0747-5632
1873-7692
DOI:10.1016/j.chb.2010.08.011