by Ryan Wasson
Here’s a hot-button question to ask yourself: are you really addicted to your smartphone? Some might think they are addicted, others maybe not so much. But in order to determine whether or not anyone that uses a smartphone can be classified as an “addict,” we have to figure out how to define the word “addiction.”
Tayana Panova, psychology researcher at Ramon Llull University, and Xavier Carbonell, professor at the same institution, look to do just that. To start, they looked at screening studies and found that most of these studies relied on user’s perceptions of how they felt in terms of addiction to their phones. Using these studies and multiple scholarly definitions of the word “addiction,” they came to define addiction as behavior involving “negative consequences…and the psychological”, and “physical dependence” such as tolerance and withdrawal that cause the behavior to continue (Panova & Carbonell, 2018). I am in favor of the premise to this study. If addiction is going to be determined, it first needs to be defined.
Panova and Carbonell look at multiple aspects such as: “impairment” “physical consequences” and “withdrawal” as part of their definition to determine whether “addiction” can be granted to smartphone usage (Panova & Carbonell, 2018). In short, they found that most of these categories in regard to the studies, didn’t constitute a problem worthy of the term “addiction.” While there was some concerning evidence in some areas, they didn’t believe “addiction” was the best way to refer to the findings they had seen (Panova & Carbonell, 2018).
One main reason for this decision was rooted in how, according to Panova and Carbonell, the smartphone has become a part of everyday life (Panova & Carbonell, 2018). Much of the studies they analyzed, as aforementioned, relied on people to tell their stories on smartphone use. With how often we use smartphones every day to accomplish daily tasks, it would make sense to me that some of the studies have little merit as a result. That realization in the versatility of smartphones is a testament to how mobile they have made our lives. For me, most days are full of a combination of calling, texting, emailing, and entertaining myself throughout the day, on the go.
Panova and Carbonell say that that instead of looking at the concept of addiction itself, researchers should focus on overuse of smartphones in relation to topics like anxiety, depression, stress, and low self-esteem (Panova & Carbonell, 2018). They also say the media has used “addiction” as an umbrella term to refer to this issue and that the smartphone itself isn’t causing the problem, it’s the motivations for using smartphones that are issues of concern (Panova & Carbonell, 2018). With so many features packed onto a tiny screen, while that may promote mobility, the content we consume can certainly distract and discourage users through means such as social media.
I think this is a much better approach to this topic. I can say I have certainly felt the consequences of low self-esteem through social media and how these platforms are designed, to a certain extent, to compare the user to others all the time. I also agree with the author’s sentiment in how the media has used the term “addiction” too loosely when it comes to defining excessive smartphone use. In the end, while addiction may not be the problem according to Panova and Carbonell, they say the activities on a smartphone, along with their motivations, and gratifications are the real issues at hand (Panova & Carbonell, 2018).
Comments