Cell Phone Use and Psychosocial Development Among Emerging Adults

Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU All Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 12-2009 Cell Phone Use and Psychosocial Development Among Emerging Adults Torrey B. Morrill Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd Part of the Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Morrill, Torrey B., "Cell Phone Use and Psychosocial Development Among Emerging Adults" (2009). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 748. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/748 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. i CELL PHONE USE AND PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AMONG EMERGING ADULTS by Torrey B. Morrill A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in Family and Human Development Approved: _________________________ _________________________ Randall M. Jones, Ph.D. Troy E. Beckert, Ph.D. Major Professor Committee Member _________________________ _________________________ Shelley L. Lindauer, Ph.D. Thomas R. Lee, Ph.D. Committee Member Committee Member _________________________ _________________________ David Kondrat, Ph.D. Byron R. Burnham, Ed.D. Committee Member Dean of Graduate Studies UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Logan, Utah 2009 ii Copyright © Torrey B. Morrill 2009 All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Cell Phone Use and Psychosocial Development Among Emerging Adults by Torrey B. Morrill, Doctor of Philosophy Utah State University, 2009 Major Professor: Randall M. Jones, Ph.D. Department: Family, Consumer, and Human Development The cell phone has rapidly become an integral, and, for some, an essential communication tool that is being used worldwide. With cell phone ownership becoming so widespread, especially among the younger generation, society is starting to see and question the impacts of cell phone use on adolescent development. Relations between cell phone possession, cell phone use, and psychosocial and identity development were investigated using Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory and Marcia’s Adolescent Identity Paradigm. A sample of 705 college students, ages 18-24, completed a questionnaire that measured the amount and type of cell phone use, identity development (Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status: EOMEIS), psychosocial maturity (Erikson Psychosocial Stage Inventory: EPSI), friendship attitudes, and school achievement. Nearly all (99.3%) of the participants in this study owned a cell phone, and most (85%) reported that they had obtained their cell phones between the ages of 14 and 18 iv (about the same time that most adolescents begin to enjoy greater mobility via older friends who are eligible to drive, or by way of gaining their own driver’s license). Psychosocial maturity (EPSI) was related to age of cell phone procurement and duration of cell phone use; measures of trust, autonomy, initiative, and industry explained 5 to 7% of the variability in age of procurement and duration of use. Eta coefficients indicated that these relationships were nonlinear and in every instance, age of procurement and duration of use were more highly related to maturity than vice versa. These relations were strongest for male (13 to 17% shared variability with duration of cell phone use) and older participants (21-24 year olds; 12 to 18% shared variability with duration of cell phone use). Identity development was related to number of text messages; moratorium and diffusion scores were positively correlated with number of text messages, whereas the correlation between foreclosure and text messaging was negative. Ninety percent of the foreclosed participants reported texting less than 5,000 times per month compared to 70% or fewer of the achieved, moratorium, and diffused participants. Motivations for texting were examined across the identity measures. The achieved scale correlated most strongly with thoughtfulness, indicating achieved participants most often texted to share thoughts and feelings with others. Participants scoring high on the moratorium scale most often used texting as a means to escape and to meet others, while those with high foreclosure scores indicated that texting was important for appearances and to meet others. High diffusion scores corresponded with texting as a means to enhance appearance and to meet others. These relationships echo characteristics that have been found and reported in the identity literature. (163 pages) v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS “Teachers: two kinds: the kind that fill you with so much quail shot that you can't move and the kind that just give you a little prod from behind and you jump to the skies (Robert Frost).” I’m sure I deserved more quail shot throughout this process but Randy Jones was the type of mentor that simply prodded me along with thoughts and questions. Thank you for listening to my interests about cell phones, leading me through to the end, and making my education so beneficial. And by the way, my new favorite word is epigenesis! Dave, Shelley, Tom, and Troy, I appreciate your flexibility from pre proposal to defense. There were many unforeseen obstacles that you so kindly worked with. It was nice to know that you would not present any additional roadblocks for the sake of creating roadblocks. Thank you. This degree would not have been possible without the support and sacrifice so willingly offered by my wife, Jill. Thank you for being so patient when homework took longer than expected and successfully managing the demands of three young children during my extended absence. You are amazing! Torrey Morrill vi CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................v LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................ x CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................1 Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory ................................................................... 2 Marcia’s Ego Identity Status Paradigm .......................................................2 Rationale for the Study ............................................................................... 4 Research Questions ......................................................................................5 Conceptual Definitions ................................................................................6 Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages .....................................................................7 II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE………………………………………………….….9 Erikson’s Psychosocial Stage Theory……………………………………. .9 Marcia’s Ego Identity Status Paradigm .................................................... 14 Marcia’s Convergence and Divergence with Erikson ...............................18 Influence of Society on Identity Formation ...............................................21 Influence of Historical Times ....................................................................30 Growth of Technology ...............................................................................33 Psychosocial Impacts of Mobile Phones....................................................36 Summary ....................................................................................................43 Research Questions ....................................................................................44 III. METHODS ............................................................................................................46 Research Design........................................................................................ 46 Sample........................................................................................................46 Procedures ..................................................................................................49 Measures ....................................................................................................50 Ethical Considerations ...............................................................................57 Data Analyses ............................................................................................57 vii Page IV. RESULTS ............................................................................................................58 Comparison of In- and Out-of-Class Participants ......................................59 Cell Phone Description Information ......................................................... 60 Reliability and Validity ..............................................................................62 Research Question 1 ................................................................................. 68 Research Question 2 ................................................................................. 68 Research Question 3 ................................................................................. 72 Research Question 4 ................................................................................. 78 Research Question 5 ................................................................................

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