One of the serious problems raised by fast distribution of mobile phones is '(reckless) use of mobile phones in public places', and it has been a hot potato since few years before, when younger generations started to use their own mobile phones, causi ...
One of the serious problems raised by fast distribution of mobile phones is '(reckless) use of mobile phones in public places', and it has been a hot potato since few years before, when younger generations started to use their own mobile phones, causing noise pollution and violation of privacy. Such phenomenon, no other than 'privatization of public places' where certain individual claims public place as his/her own, indicates that there is a new threat of social discord at the other side of convenience by mobile phones.
Public place is defined as a 'universally accessible neutral territory that is collective, social, pluralistic and inclusive'. These public places are opened to everyone, but their actions are limited, and certain norms should exist within the area for equal possession. But recent phenomenon of self-centered use habit of public place is the counterevidence to inappropriate possession of public places by certain individuals. Little research, however, has considered specific factors influencing mobile phone use in public places.
The purpose of this study is to identify various factors that can influence the uses of mobile phones in public places(for instance street or park, shopping mall, restaurant, bus or railroad couch, etc.), as they have become a primary media of interpersonal communication.
Research questions of this study are as follows.
<Q 1> How do mobile phone uses in public places differ according to demographic variables, such as age and sex
[Q 1-1] How do selections of modes of phone when receiving call(to set phone off, to set vibration mode, or to set melody mode) in the public places differ according to age and sex
[Q 1-2] How do decisions on whether to receive calls or not in the public places differ according to age and sex
[Q 1-3] How do submissiveness to social norms related to uses of mobile phones in public places differ according to age and sex
<Q 2> How do mobile phone uses differ according to compliance of traditional communication values of our society
<Q 3> How do mobile phone uses differ according to the affinity to mobile phones In other words, does mobile phone uses change by the importance of mobile phone in one's life
In order to find answers to these questions, a survey was executed among two age groups, those below 20's and above 40's, with 300 interviewees in each group.
The results of data analysis are as follows:
1. As the interviewees of the survey are younger, they are more inclined to leave mobile phone turned on or set phone melody mode, accept calls in public places and have lower receptivity to mobile phone related social norms in public areas.
2. As the interviewees of the survey are less pliant to conventional communication values of our society, they are more inclined to leave mobile phone turned on or set phone melody mode, accept calls in public places and have lower receptivity to mobile phone related social norms in public areas.
3. As the interviewees have lower affinity to the mobile phones, they are more inclined to leave mobile phone turned on, and have lower receptivity to mobile phone related social norms in public areas.
4. The interviewees who make frequent use of mobile phones, are much afraid of loss of contact when the mobile phone is out of service, have little restraint in making unnecessary phone calls, concentrates on their conversation paying no heed to other's attentions, or feel isolated when there are on calls, in other words, those who are in the category of 'speak-easy', have higher tendency to feel on qualms in receiving calls in public places and show comparatively lower submissiveness to social norms related to the mobile phone use in public places.