English Research Paper

What are the effects of cell phone addiction?Do you feel nervous when you cannot find your cell phone? Is your cell phone open all the time even during your sleep? Be careful, because you may already have addiction to your cell phone. Based on a report by theMorningside Recovery Rehabilitation Center, it takesthe average person 144 minutes per dayto usecell phone (cited in Borreli, 2013). Nowadays, cell phone addiction has become one serious plague in American society and it affects our lives gradually and deeply. According to research, cell phone addiction can induce anxiety, cause relationship problems and lead to low self-esteem.Firstly, cell phone addiction can cause smartphone users to be anxious. When cellular phones are not in pockets or hands, people tend to feel nervous. Most phone users don’t like to separate from their digital friends, whenever and whatever they are. Borreli(2013) writes that many people, especially kids, keep texting during eating, working, driving and sleeping. She also added, a lot people even bring phones to the restroom. People are so fascinated by these little devices that they forget where they are and what they are doing.In addition, when people are asked to power off their phones, they usually feel agitated too. Merlo notes that people who often use their phones are likely to become tense when they have to turn off their phones (cited in Birdwell, 2007). They would keep concerning and being worried about whether there is a call or message for them. For example, after an exam, the first thing most students would do is to open their phones and check them. Why do people behave in this way nowadays?Borreli (2013) states that it is the wish of being socially connected that makes people check their phones regularly and frequently, and finally become addicted to their phones. In other words, people fear to be alone, so cellular phones become so necessary in their life. In “Connected, but Alone”, Turkle (2012) explain s it more specifically that, people try to avoidloneliness by keeping in touch with others. That’s why people keep checking their phones when they stand at a crossway or eat alone in a cafe.Besides, various appliances on smartphones are another reason why people are so attracted to the phone. Since smartphone came to the world, millions of apps have made people’s live more convenient and ebullient. For example, people nowadays play 3D games, watch video, use maps and so on. Almost every part of life has been covered by smartphones. And in hence, more and more people can’t separate from their phones because their living habits have been changed. If their digital assistants power off, they may not even find the right way home. Thus, the anxiety of people would be evoked by the mobile phone addiction.Secondly, people addicted to phones usually have trouble in dealing with relationships.People like to make friends with a person who is like them, so mobile technology has narrowed the range of friends we can make. Birdwell (2007) writes that, AJapanese research showed that young children dislike making friends with peers who know little about technology.Besides, phone addiction has gradually changed our knowledge of the approach that how we relate to each other. People using mobile phones prefer to have a communication on the phone rather than talk face-to-face. In “Connected, but Alone”, Turkle (2012) says that “We are getting used to a new way of b eing getting alone together”.That means the mobile phone becomes anintermediary that helps people be involved in every place and keep in touch with every person. While they are enjoying the fun of connecting through the phone, they consequently forget where they are really in and who they are really talking with. People are hurting their real-life relationship when they are enhancing the mobile relationship. A study conducted by David Sheffield, a psychologist of Staffordshire University, suggests that about 7 percent of phone users had lost a relationship (cited in Birdwell, 2007).And also, the addiction of cell phone has changed the way that weeffective way is to share. In the days before, we can just share through talking,but now, with the help of networking software on the phone,we can share everywhere and every time on the phone. Turkle (2012) says that the old way that people share what they have has been changed into another new way named “I share therefore I am”. That means,nowadays, people are trying to obtainsuch feelingsas happy, sad, or pathetic and so on through sharing information. Turkle (2012) also points out, because people can’t sense themselves if they are out of connection, people tend to depend on phones more and more, which, in turn, leads people to isolation.Thirdly, cell phone addicts don’t always have enough self-respect.According to Leung, poor self-esteem people cope with communication negatively as they have a low definition of themselves, which leads them to have poor self-confidence while talking with others. Mobile phone just provides them a platform to contact other people without direct interaction. So a big part of mobile phone addicts is low self-esteem people. Furthermore, Bianchi and Phillips (2005) prove that low self-esteem personality is related to inappropriate phone use. For example, people usually tuck themselves away in a party by pretending to check their phones; people try to comfort themselves through cellular phones when they are sad; and people prefer to play with their smartphones than deal with other affairs and so on. Low self-esteem people think they are not as good as other people, so they always try to disappear before people’s eyes.However, based on the study of Bianchi and Phillips (2005), it is hard to decide the causality between cell phone addiction and low self-esteem. We can’t just believe that low self-esteem causes phone addiction or phone addiction leads to poor self-esteem. They are involved in an interrelationship. That is,people who have poor self-respect personality are more likely to be addicted to the cellular phone, in the meantime, cell phone addiction also contributes peoplebelittling themselves. As introduced in the first point, people fear to be alone. But how do low self-esteem people cope with this problem as they lack confidence to talk in public? Mobile phone partially solves this problem because it can masquerade them. They can sign in a fake name with a beautiful image to cover their flaws. Nevertheless, at the same time, mobile phone also exacerbates the low self-esteem problem because it makes people who less respect themselves give up the opportunity of public communication totally. So when the cell phone protects these people’s vulnerable senses, it also starts to injure these senses.Same as drugs, cell phone addiction influences people negatively and seriously. People addicted to phones tend to feel worried because they fear to be separated from the world. They are suffering the problem of relationship for their communication skills have been effaced by typing texts. They don’t have enough courage to talk to others face to face as their esteem is lowered by phone use. However, we still have plenty time to face and fix this problem. As Turkle (2012) said, “I am optimistic. We have everything we need to start. We have each other. And we have the greatest chance of success if we recognize our vulnerability. That we listen when technology says it will take something complicated and promises something simpler.”ReferencesBianchi, A., & Phillips, J. (2005, January 21). Psychological predictors of problem mobile phone use. Cyber Psychology & Behavior. Retrieved from.au/amta/site/amta/downloads/pdfs.2005.web/dr.phillips.monash.cyber.ps ychology.mar.05.pdfBirdwell, A. (2007, January 18) Addicted to phones? Retrievedfrom /2007/01/18/cell-addiction/Borreli, L. (2013, July 2). Technology addiction: Warning signs of a cell phone addict. Retrieved from /technology-addiction-warning-signs-cell phone-addict-247344Leung, L. (n.d.). Leisure boredom, sensation seeking, self-esteem, addiction: Symptoms and patterns of cell phone use. Retrieved from.hk/ccpos/en/pdf/18%20Ch%2018%20Mediated%20Interpersonal% 20Communication.pdfTurkle, S. (2012). Connected, but alone? Retrieved from/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together.html。