Chapter 1 - Smartphone Usage

Summary

Psychological concerns around the impact of smartphone use tends to overshadow all other threats and concerns around digital spaces. This chapter critically considers research that has associated smartphone use with negative traits and behavioural outcomes. In contrast to other areas of smartphone research, and while many prominent academics have argued that smartphone data have a great deal to offer as a research tool in psychology, comparatively little research utilises objective smartphone usage data in relation to potential harms (Andrews et al., 2015). For example, the majority of existing research tends to rely on self-report alone when to quantifying ‘addictive’ behaviour. A frank discussion regarding similar issues of measurement would help the field move forward more quickly, improve its visibility and generate additional impact from a policy and practitioner perspective.

This chapter provides a timely narrative and critically considers where smartphone research within psychology has advanced in a variety of innovative ways, but also where it is has been slower to innovate both theoretically and methodologically. While some progress has been made regarding the genuine impacts of general technology use, this chapter will conclude by reminding readers that smartphone addiction provides an excellent example of where the field has to embrace the abilities of other disciplines if it is to make additional progress.