Effects of Mobile Communication

How have the effects of mobile communication changed w/ the "smartphone revolution," specifically in our connections w/ others (sociality)?

- Bridging + bonding - Added layer of communication, info + content

What were the effects of mobile communication like in the pre-smartphone era, specifically in our connections w/ others (sociality)?

- Increased bonding at expense of bridging - Zero-sum game - each participant's gain/loss of utility is exactly balanced by gains/losses of utility of other participants

How have the effects of mobile communication changed w/ the "smartphone revolution," specifically in places of social activity (spatiality)?

- Integration of digital + physical Hybrid space

Two Kinds of Solitude

- Intended - helps you relate to others better (i.e. going on a hike alone) - Unintended - mandatory/not planned (i.e. being alone/lonely)

Effects on Youth Culture

- Mobile communication as a resource for growing up - some call it "social emancipation of youth" - as teens become more reliant on peers compared to parents in quest for identity - Among teens, heavy cell phone users more likely to be involved in stealing, fighting, alcohol + drug abuse, sexual behavior, etc. - Heavy use linked to higher class failure rates, lower test scores + lower GPAs overall

Private Use in Public Space

- Mobile phones put us on 2 front stages at once (Erving Goffman's theory) - Most people don't like having to hear a person's phone conversations (violates in-person front stage). Listening to "halfalogue" is more distraction that hearing both sides of a conversation. - Absent presence - Smartphones present location-based services (games, social media) that allow us to connect w/ public settings in meaningful ways, as well as to cut ourselves off.

Implications of Mobile Media for Solitude

- Need for new conceptualization + measurement - dictionary definitions of "solitude" est. in the 90s describe physical state, BUT it is now being unplugged socially. We need to look at solitude from a communication standpoint. - Increased importance of deliberate solitude

How has mobile communication changed the way people maintain personal relationships? What consequences does it have for face-to-face interaction?

- Perpetual contact - Text messages symbolic of friendship / intimacy • How you text says a lot about your relationships, mood + gender • Tone • Acronyms a symbol of youth - Heavy cell phone use can have "cocooning" effect • Overly connected w/ close ties, possibly shutting out weaker ties / strangers • Individuals insulated from others w/in close-knit social group • Social media may broaden things out beyond cocooning • Unintended (mandatory / not planned) solitude no longer needs to exist b/c of mobile phones

How has mobile media been embedded into the self (i.e. psychological + cognitive processing)?

- Phantom vibration is an example of how phones are linked to our cognition. - Addiction vs. Habit

What were the effects of mobile communication like in the pre-smartphone era, specifically in places of social activity (spatiality)?

- Problem of mobile phone use in public - Separate + competing social stages

How does mobile communication differ from other media?

- Size - Cost - Adoption rates - Differences between mobile, portable + fixed media - Unique implications for how people related to space - Unique implications for how people relate to others

How are traditional phones & modern mobile communication different?

- Traditional phones come w/ a cultural norm to interact w/ those w/ shared interests, not w/ those in physical proximity. - Modern mobile communication is used for those in close proximity, filling in gaps between face-to-face communication + micro-coordination.

How do users of mobile technology for info & users of mobile technology for relational purposes differ in their public interactions?

- Users for info are more likely to engage in conversations w/ strangers b/c public affairs are just as relevant to those around you. - Users for relational purposes are less likely to talk to strangers.

Effects of Texting

- We don't know how many texts we send on avg. b/c it's habitual - Shorthand symbol use develops significance w/in social networks - Texting functional + convenient, easier + faster - Messages sent + viewed when convenient for users - Smart phones equipped w/ full QWERTY keyboard, instead of old T9 format - progressive ease of use

When was the first public cell phone call made?

1973

Erving Goffman's Theory

Front Stage: role in which you explicitly present yourself Back Stage: things you don't want to share; may sometimes breach onto front stage

Who made the first public cell phone call? To whom?

Martin Cooper, general manager of communication systems division @ Motorola, to his rival

How has mobile communication changed the way people coordinate? What consequences does it have for face-to-face interaction?

Space + time no longer dominate social connection. - Logistics - last-minute changes in plan easily communicated - Scheduling - scheduled time is more flexible - Ongoing refinement - instant communication allows coordination of plans moment-to-moment as needed - Mobile communications allow more planning for spontaneous face-to-face encounters, lowering boundaries for social interaction + increasing quantity of encounters. - Lower boundaries, such as between work + home, may cause stress.

What was the cell phone inspired by?

Star Treks communicators

In Transition

between + beyond places of destination - mobile communication is the ONLY means of connecting while in transition

Portable Media

can be used anywhere w/ correct infrastructure, such as surface, network, etc. (i.e. laptop, tablet)

Fixed Media

can only be used in 1 location (i.e. desktop computer)

Absent Presence

cell phone users physically present, but minds are engaged elsewhere

Social Connection

communication, info + content

What was the goal of the cell phone?

ease of use

Perpetual Contact

heightened sense of connection strengthens social bonds

Social Coordination

how we get things done w/ other people

Addiction

out-of-control use that leads to negative effects + builds up tolerance

How has mobile media been embedded into society?

part of the structure / social construct, like time (an abstract thing deeply relied on)

What is different about mobile communication that made it possible to be adopted in developing countries?

pay-as-you-go plans

Mobile Communication

possibility of social connection while in transition

Possibility

potential just as important as usage itself -> changes expectations of others

How does the SIZE of mobile communication differ from other media? How does this affect the way we use it?

smaller -> we have it w/ us at all times

Habit

something done frequently w/ little thought; automaticity

Microcoordination

the unique management of social interaction made possible through cell phones, redefining the roles of space + time for social coordination

How is it possible for the COST of mobile communication to differ from other media?

wireless -> cheaper infrastructure

Mobile Media

you can use it w/o being stuck in 1 location; often supported by ubiquitous infrastructure (i.e. cell phone)