Causes and Consequences of Mobile Phone's Indispensability for Everyday Life

Abstract

This paper presents the results of an experimental deprivation study conducted with initially 101 participants. All participants had to do without mobile phone, internet and TV for 15 days each. The main research objective was to examine the differences of indispensability levels and causes during these non-usage phases. Mobile phones turned out to be most indispensable followed by Internet and TV. Indispensability of mobile phones was primarily caused by people issues, of internet by task issues and of TV by self issues.