Use of Mobile Phones, Research Paper Example

The Quest

Mobile phones play a great role on how the world develops at present (Butsch, 2007). Relatively, the use of this gadget has become a common pattern of communication for most people today (Anderson, 1991). To prove such theory, a study on people staying at the Campbell Square is handled in this research. Campbell Square is one of the most visited public places in Scarborough. As such, it was expected that the study will observe how individuals use mobile phones within this public space. It was expected that the interviews would generate a clear picture of people’s perceptions of mobile-phone use within the square.

Method

To explore the issues associated with the use of mobile phones in public spaces, a one-week study was conducted between March 10^th and March 14^th, 2014 in the Campbell Square. The site was chosen because of the regular number of visitors it receives within a day who use mobile phones. The research comprised two main activities;

• Observation of the use of mobile phones in and around the square
• Interviews with mobile phone users and non-users

Observation

The observation of the use of mobile phone within the public space was essential in revealing the prevalence of mobile phone use within public space. During this process, the researcher would note down how individuals use their mobile phones within Campbell Square and even observe the reactions of people around the mobile user. The users were observed within the concrete part of the square, the stage area, through the park area, the cascading waterfall and the rink/pool and the medal bell tower.

During the week, it was noted that many individuals visit the square. This is mainly attributed to the amount of traffic from 150 Borough Drive and the McCowan-Ellesmere intersection. It was observed that nearly 85% of all the people visiting and/or passing through the square used their mobile phones at one point in time. These individuals were either listening to music, browsing the internet and/or texting. Most of the individuals had their ringtones on, loud enough to be heard a few meters from the user. 15% of the users had their either had their phones on silent, vibrate or low tone, that they could not be heard more than one meter from the user.

Forty five percent of the users had an earpiece or two, leading one to presume that they were listening to one or two forms of media. 5% of the users listened to their music on loud mode, i.e. opted to listen to music through their phones’ speakers as opposed to using an earpiece. However, this was mainly observed in the park area where most people had picnics. These individuals were in the company of friends, family or a loved one at the moment. Meanwhile, 80% of the users appeared to be texting on their phones. 55% of these were texting while walking. It was observed that once in a while, a mobile phone user would bump into another individual who was not using their phone at the given time.

Interviews with both Mobile Phone Users and Non-Users

The interview with the users and non-users of mobile phones within Campbell Square was the final activity of the study. The interviews’ primary subjects were the users of mobile phones. Non-users were opportunistically sampled and interviewed to obtain and asses their opinions on the use of mobile phones within the square. The two main groups that were targeted by these interviews were young people (between the age of 16 and 21) and business and/or working class individuals. This is owing to the fact that these groups are generally perceived to comprise the larger part of mobile phone users in the world. They are the individuals who need their mobile phones the most as they spend the most time using them.

Ten business people who were using their mobile phones were interviewed separately. They generally perceived their mobile phones as essential tools for their work. They generally used their mobile phones for communication and to assist them manage their day-to-day activities by using business-related apps. Ninety percent of these users did not consider the use of mobile phones as a nuisance to others, so long as the mobile phone-generated sounds, tones and alerts are minimized to a sensible level. They generally defined sensible as sound that cannot be heard one meter from the mobile phone users. It is important to note that these individuals were generally on the move.

Meanwhile, six young individuals, using their mobile phones at the time were interviewed. These individuals generally perceived their mobile phones as useful social and entertainment gadget. They said they mostly used their mobile phones to access and use social media services such as Facebook and Twitter. Chatting, is the primary use of their phones. 90% of these users also said that their phone is a fundamental tool of entertainment and pastime as they listen to music, watch videos and play games on these devices. They did not see mobile phones as any nuisance in any given circumstances. They also said they would leave their mobile phones on loud mode and use their favourite music as ringtones and alert sounds.

In addition to the distinct cross referencing of the analysis, another set of six individuals who were using their mobile phones in the park were interviewed. They were mostly in a picnic setting. It is important to note that these individuals had mobile phones, they just chose to either not use them or switch them off within the park. These individuals perceived mobile phone use in public areas as a nuisance. All of the interviewees in this category shared this same sentiment and believed that individuals should be considerate when using mobile phones within the square. They generally believed that the loud mobile-phone generated sounds were a nuisance.

In conclusion, it could be garnered from this particular study that people use their mobile phones depending on their age, their attitude towards the gadget and the function that it serves them. Relatively, basing from such elements, the frequency of how one uses a cellphone could also be measured accordingly.

Works Cited

Anderson, Benedict R. O’G. “Chapter 1: Cultural Roots.” Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. London: Verso, 1991. 9-36. Electronic Document.

Butsch, Richard. Media and Public Spheres. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007. Print.

Silva, Adriana S. and Jordan Firth. Mobile Interfaces in Public Spaces: Locational Privacy, Control, and Urban Sociability. New York: Routledge, 2012. Print.

Warner, Micheal. “Chapter 1: The Cultural Mediation of the Print Medium.” The Letters of the Republic: Publication and the Public Sphere in Eighteenth-Century America. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1990. 1-33. Electronic Document.