Category: Texting and Driving

Abstract

This Study will be carried out to establish the causes and effects of cell phone use among male students at Al Ittihad National School. It will specifically determine the various factors that may cause the use of cell phones among the male students, and how the use can affect the students in the several possible ways ranging from psychological to academic performance.

The study was mainly encouraged by the recent rapid technological advance in the cell phone devices that has made them an integral part of the youth life. There are various features that have been incorporated on cell phone devices have created a near fanatical following among adolescents who are otherwise still struggling with self identity issues.

Previous studies have shown that peer pressure and parental factors play a significant role in the adoption of mobile phone devices by high school going children. Research on mobile phone usage among students has been ongoing for several years in other countries. Several studies have shown that mobile phones can have both positive and negative effects on students.

Positive effects mainly come in the form of improved learning activities, whereby mobile phones can be utilized as tools to access the internet and facilitate the retrieval of learning materials, help organize class activities such as meetings and discussions, and coordinate study groups among the students (Zulkefly & Baharudin, 2009).

Cell phones can also help students to develop social by keeping in touch with their peers and parents. In addition, they enable students to guard themselves by providing a reliable means of soliciting for help during crisis situations.

The negative effects associated with cell phones are many. Different studies analyzed in this paper indicate that cell phone use can be addictive and thus bring with it several psychological effects that affect the students performance (Kawasaki, Tanei, Ogata, Burapadaja, & Loetkham, 2006). The results of this study may confirm the findings of similar studies which have been carried out in other areas.

Introduction

Cell phones have evolved into important communication tools and therefore becoming an integral part of the society. Populations across the world, consisting of different age groups that include the youth are increasingly using cell phones to keep in touch with family, friends, colleagues and other acquaintances (Kawasaki, Tanei, Ogata, Burapadaja, & Loetkham, 2006).

Cell phones were first used in United Arab Emirates in 1998 and they were mainly in the hands of elites and professionals. This first generation communication devices were only equipped with basic communication features such as voice calls and later text messages.

Today, cell phone usage has spread among all members of the society including high school students and even pupils in several countries. The current mobile phone is equipped with features that allow more sophisticated communication and entertainment. This include multi media messages, MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3) player, games internet, videos and social network applications (Hakoama & Hakoyama, 2011).

The rapidly increasing technological advance in the cell phone industry has made mobile phones to be very attractive to the youth (Campbell, 2007). Therefore schools and other educational establishments have had a hard time trying to limit the influence of cell phones on their students (Hakoama & Hakoyama, 2011).

Several studies have indeed shown cell phones to be very popular among the youth, including high school students. Studies conducted in the UAE show that a large proportion of the youth and children own cell phones (Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, 2009).

An ICT survey carried out in 2008 showed that up to 67% of students owned mobile phones in the United Arab Emirates (Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, 2009).

Initially, school policy was quite prohibitive as students were required to leave their phones at home, turn them of or keep them in the lockers (Zulkefly & Baharudin, 2009). As time went by, schools began to change their policies to allow students to have limited access to mobile phones.

The current use of cell phones by students mainly relates to personal and social purposes. The immense popularity of mobile phones among high school students in the UAE can be attributed to the popularity of prepaid subscriptions and the low cost of mobile handsets (Kawasaki, Tanei, Ogata, Burapadaja, & Loetkham, 2006).

Owning a cell phone has become a practical necessity, as well as a status symbol for young people who are, as always, struggling with peer pressure and conformity . Cell phones are very much viewed as a fashion accessory by different categories of youth in the UAE.

Researches conducted in regard to the usage of mobile phones among the young generations have revealed that most of them take cell phones to be part and parcel of their daily lives. The increased attention of mobile phones among students has attracted massive research by scholars who are trying to establish how cell phones have impacted on education (Thaden, 2009).

The causes and potential effects of mobile use among high school students in the UAE necessitate more research. This research study will thus seek to establish the reasons why male students at the Al Ittihad National School use mobile phones and the effects that may be associated with the use.

Al Ittihad National School is located in Abu Dhabi and is a private profit making K-10 school (Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, 2009). The school offers a US curriculum and has both national and international students mainly from the US (Kolb, 2006).

Statement of the problem/ research questions

Problem statement

Research on cell/mobile phone usage in high schools that has been carried out in other countries reveal positive and negative effects. Although the findings can be applied to have an idea regarding the situation in the UAE, there is a strong need for own research to be conducted so as to establish variations or other findings that may be specific to UAE students.

Indeed previous research has shown that mobile phone usage can have both positive and negative effects to high school students. In UAE, more male students have access to mobile phones when compared to their female counterparts.

Its important to determine the specific reasons that cause high school students to use mobile phones and the various outcomes that may be associated with this use. The study will be carried out at Al Ittihad School and will specifically try to establish the causes and effects of mobile phone usage among male students.

Research Questions

• What are the causes of mobile phone usage among male students at the Al Ittihad School?
• What are the effects of mobile phone usage among male students at the Al Ittihad School?

Literature Review

Causes of cell phone usage

Cell phone use and addiction among young individuals may be explained using the psychological theory. Erikson described the adolescent stage as a period of identity searching (Campbell, 2007).

Adolescents are always plagued by the experience of trying to understand who they are, the group they belong to and who they would like to be when they get older; they become excessively self conscious and pay much attention to what their peers think of them (Lie, 2004). Studies show that this situation makes them to be more vulnerable to trends that they consider fashionable such as newer and flashy technological devices.

Mobile phones are equipped with different features that make them appeal to the young generation. Previous studies have shown that young cell phone users prefer to use text messaging as opposed to voice calls.

This service may be preferred because its cheaper, quick and convenient (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009). Most teenagers have been shown to use text messages so as to achieve a steady coordination between friends and family. The patterns of text messaging are thought to peak anywhere between ages sixteen and twenty four.

Comparative studies carried out to contrast cell phone usage among Japanese and American adolescents showed that a large proportion (69%) of Japanese adolescents preferred to use their mobile phones for texting while up to 40% of the American adolescents favored the game features on their mobile phones (Campbell, 2007).

The Japanese adolescents were also seen to prefer the MP3 features on their mobile phones as compared to other features (Campbell, 2007).

Cell phones are designed to allow effective communication between individuals who are vast distances apart. Adolescents primarily use the mobile phone to communicate to their family members and peers. Several studies have shown that the use of cell phones by teenagers or adolescents to contact their family members are more frequent compared to contacting friends.

Communicating with family members is very important as it enables them to feel secure. This is due to the fact that family members are considered to be the most important people in their lives (Kawasaki, Tanei, Ogata, Burapadaja, & Loetkham, 2006). In addition, cell phones have been found to be very effective during emergency situations.

Psychologists have identified cell phones to be vital tools of building family relationships as they enable family members to stay in touch even when they are far from one another. The ability of cell phones to offer communication between family members at any time and place makes them an effective replacement of physical contact.

This way parents can remotely assist their children to carry out their responsibilities and reduce anxiety instances (Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, 2009). Some Korean schools have begun to offer location monitoring services to help parents identify the location of their children via the cell phone.

Apart from communicating with family members, adolescents use cell phones to regularly contact their peers for chat, gossip and share stories (Kolb, 2006). When used this way, cell phones act as effective tools of improving and maintaining social relationships.

Through research, cell phone use has been linked to various factors. Previous studies have focused on factors such as sex, age and self esteem with mobile phone use (Zulkefly & Baharudin, 2009). There is little research evidence that shows the relationship between cell phone uses by the younger generations and the age of the parents, education and family income.

Male cell phone users are typically attracted by the technical applications and features such as games and MP3 player or video player while females basically use mobile phones for socializing (Zulkefly & Baharudin, 2009).

Studies carried out since 2001 have established that young adult males spent more time on mobile phones as compared to girls (Kawasaki, Tanei, Ogata, Burapadaja, & Loetkham, 2006). This trend often begins in the late adolescent stage then peaks in the 20s. The high level use may extend to 30s after which it begins to drop significantly (Thaden, 2009).

Researchers have also established that young mobile phone users usually spent appropriate amounts of money on prepaid services. Studies conducted in Europe showed that many of high school students used about 25 Euros a month on mobile phone credit (Wilknson, 2006).

Effects of cell phone Usage

Different studies have shown that younger mobile users are more likely to be addicted therefore they score high on Problem Mobile Phone Use Scale (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009). Adolescents have been found to spend more time with mobile phones for social and emotional communication purposes.

Some studies have shown that a significant number of high school students in the US play video games on their cell phones laptops during class time (Hakoama & Hakoyama, 2011). However, its not clear if this affects academic performance.

Studies carried out to identify the level of self esteem in relation to mobile phone use among adolescents has shown that those with low self esteem use mobile phones more than those with high self esteem (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009).

Individuals with low self esteem use mobile phones more frequently so as to get reassurance from other people. Some studies have used low self esteem to predict problems associated with mobile phone use.

It has been shown that certain problems may arise due to intense use of the mobile phone device for communication purpose. Studies conducted in different countries such as Thailand, Korea and Norway have established that students who involved themselves with intense mobile use were likely to suffer from psychological disturbances (Hakoama & Hakoyama, 2011).

A study carried out on 595 Korean students established that excessive use of mobile phone among students led to depression, higher interpersonal anxiety and lower self esteem (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009). There are no studies that link these findings to the students academic performance.

Use of cell phones by high school students also endangers their lives by making them to be suitable targets for robbers and muggers. Several robbery instances have reportedly involved the taking of a mobile phone. Many youths have reportedly died as a result of being knifed by muggers. Additionally, cell phones are also thought to increase bullying instances among adolescents (Zulkefly & Baharudin, 2009).

In other studies, cell phones have been reported to cause considerable disruption of class activities. A Virginia high school reported that a student ordered for pizza during class time and did not see anything wrong with that (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009).

Other students have involved themselves in queer behaviors such as calling the principals home for more than six times in the middle of the night (Campbell, 2007).

Studies carried out by psychologists have reported the ability of mobile phones to affect sleeping patterns among students, especially in addictive cases. Affected students are found to engage in excessive text messaging and often feel anxious when they do not receive replies. This usually takes place at night when they are supposed to be sleeping.

Some scholars have compared internet use to pathological gambling as forms of behavioral addiction (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009). Excessive use of cell phones may also be categorized as an addictive disorder.

Cell phone ownership among students has been the subject of various ongoing researches, arguments and counter arguments. Some scholars have felt that students should be provided with cell phones so that they can use them in crisis situations (Kolb, 2006).

Studies have also shown that students who lack phones may experience a negative feeling of being isolated. Other scholars have rejected phone ownership among students stating that they do not contribute to learning activities (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009).

Several researches have shown that cell phones can be useful gadgets for learning purposes. Internet supported mobile phones may be used to find definitions or reference data on the web.

Mobile phones can also be used by students to connect with teachers and other students and help them deal with class attendance issues, rearrange meetings, retrieve assignment data, discuss assignments, coordinate study groups and seek academic help from teachers and other students (Hakoama & Hakoyama, 2011).

Conclusion And Recommendations

Conclusions

Just as seen in other studies carried out in various countries, this study will confirm that the use of mobile phone is widespread among male students attending Al Ittihad School.

The study is expected to reveal that male students at the Al Ittihad School use their phones a bit reasonably and appropriately for sending text messages, calling and networking. The most applied functions of the mobile phone are likely to be SMS, social networking then voice calls. These findings should be consistent with those of studies carried out in other countries, especially in Asia.

High school students are typically expected to prefer SMS to calls due to the fact that SMS are cheaper and majority of them have limited financial resources. This makes SMS to be the preferred mode of communication (Wilknson, 2006).

Given the fact that majority of high school students are adolescents, they may be attracted to mobile phones due to features such as MMS, MP3 and video players and internet networking applications such as facebook and twitter (Kawasaki, Tanei, Ogata, Burapadaja, & Loetkham, 2006).

Previous research findings have shown that boys are more interested in the technological features of a phone as compared to girls. This study may also establish that male students at the Al Ittihad National School use mobile phones partly due to their advanced technological features which they may find fascinating. Personal and family factors may also contribute to the usage of phones by high school students.

The study may reveal that students use their phones more to contact their peers rather than parents and/or teachers (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009). Students in the adolescent category are generally unstable as they are transforming from children to adults. Mobile phone usage may be linked to levels of self esteem.

Students with low self esteem are likely to be addicted to the mobile phone and thus present with various psychological disturbances. Cases of low or high self esteem are come individually and cannot be generalized on a group. In this study, some cases of low self esteem may be established together with the associated problematic mobile phone use.

Students with a low self esteem will desire to seek reassurance from other people on regular basis and thus are likely to use their cell phones more (Kawasaki, Tanei, Ogata, Burapadaja, & Loetkham, 2006).

Students who end up using their phones more than others are likely to progress into intense cell phone users. The current study is likely to establish that most male students at the Al Ittihad School get fascinated by features on their mobile phones and thus are likely to be more attracted and addicted to their cell phones (Zulkefly & Baharudin, 2009).

This may lead to behaviors associated with problematic cell phone behavior. Further studies into this area may reveal how self esteem and the frequency of mobile phone use can lead to change in social behaviors.

By determining the effect of mobile phone usage among male students at the Al Ittihad School, one is likely to verify that intense use of mobile phones by students can lead to psychological problems (Campbell, 2007).

Students who show with problematic cell phone use may have conditions such as anxiety, depression, or even lack of sleep, which is likely to affect their overall psychological functioning (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009).

The results of this study, if carried out, may concur with the findings of other studies which associate addictive cell phone usage with disorders such as lack of adequate sleep, which may impact a students psychological health.

Findings of this such as study may as well reveal the advantages associated with cell phone use.

For instance, they can enhance learning in various ways; cell phones can be used to surf the web and help students to identify important references or definitions, they also form an important link between them and their teachers or other students and this can help increase class attendance issues, scheduling of meetings, retrieving of assignment data and assisting coordination in study groups (Lie, 2004).

The study may also establish some bad habits that may be associated with mobile phone use. Students can involve themselves in exam cheating by communicating with each other while doing tests or use web sources to help answer questions. The study may also reveal that phones cause significant disruption to class activities where some students may pick their phones or make calls during class time (Hakoama & Hakoyama, 2011).

Its also important to note that though not many teenagers have access to cars, mobile phones can be a leading cause of death if they are used while driving. Such a finding may be outside the scope of this study due to the limited sample size but it has been observed to occur elsewhere.

Recommendations

Previous researches have compared internet usage with pathological gambling due to the common effect impacted on the user. Current mobile phone devices are loaded with sophisticated features with the ability to carry out several different applications.

This implies that they are more likely to create addictive behavior in the young users. Studies should be formulated to establish the chances of addiction that are associated with more sophisticated devices that are considered to be classy by the youth.

If this study is carried out, the results can reveal that high school students frequently use their devices to watch videos and network on social sites during class time. In this regard a further study will be required to identify the extent to which performance is affected by such activities.

Further research may reveal many other causal factors that exist within the students environment that can positively or negatively impact their cell phone behaviors (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009).

In addition, the specific outcomes of intense mobile phone use can also be explored with the aim of identifying the particular symptoms that may be associated with excessive use of mobile phones among high school students.

Some other studies have shown that mobile phones may affect attention spans, critical thinking skills and respect for learning and teachers (Kawasaki, Tanei, Ogata, Burapadaja, & Loetkham, 2006). These findings have not been verified thus more intense studies should be se up to ascertain the extent to which such effects may affect learning and student performance.

Adequate policies should be formulated to guide the use of cell phones by students. As things are now, authorities lag behind parental and student resistance in regard to the use of mobile phones (Kolb, 2006).

Parents are increasing viewing mobile phones as a lifeline for their children but this should not be allowed to transform into an entitlement thus far research should be done to identify any agreeable solution to this problem (Hakoama & Hakoyama, 2011).

References

Campbell, S. (2007). A cross-cultural comparison of perceptions and uses of mobile telephony. New Media and Society , (9):343-363.

Hakoama, M., & Hakoyama, S. (2011). The Impact of Cell Phone Use on Social Networking and Development Among College Students. The American Association of Behavioral and Social Sciences journal , 1-15.

Kawasaki, N., Tanei, S., Ogata, S., Burapadaja, F., & Loetkham, S. (2006). Survey on Cellular Phone usage by Students in Thailand. Journal of Physiological Anthropology , 25:377-382.

Kolb, L. (2006). From toy to tool: Audioblogging with cell phones. Learning & Leading with Technology , 34(3): 16-20.

Lie, E. (2004). Shaping the Future Mobile Information Society: The Case of the Kingdom of Norway. London: International Telecommunication Union Workshop on Shaping the Future Mobile.

Moore, M., Kirchner, H., Drotar, D., Johnson, D., Rosen, C., & Redline, S. (2009). Relationships among Sleepiness, Sleep Time, and Psychological Functioning in Adolescents. J Pediatr Psychol , 2:567-579.

Telecommunications Regulatory Authority. (2009). UAE ICT SURVEY: Acess and Use of Information and Communications Technology in the UAE. Abu Dhabi: TRA.

Thaden, B. (2009). Student Reflective Perceptions of High School Educational Cell Phone Technology Usage. The Journal of Technology Studies , 11-16.

Wilknson, R. (2006). The role of parental and peer attchment in the pyschological health and self-esteem of students. Journal of Youth and Adolescence , 33(6):479.

Zulkefly, S., & Baharudin, R. (2009). Mobile Phone use Amongst Students in Malaysia: Its correlates and Relationship to Psychological Health. European Journal of Scientific Research , 2:206-218.

A lot of attention is being directed to talking on cell phones, playing with pets, and texting while driving as these actions result to significant driver distraction. The exact statistics on distraction by small lap dogs are hard to come by, but a survey from the Nationwide Mutual Insurance has noted that over ten percent of drivers have a history of distraction by such small lap dogs.

The idea is not only to focus on the type of distracter that is dangerous, but also to focus on anything that can lead to any sort of driver distraction. The distracter can be texting, making or receiving a phone call, and to a greater extent, sharing the front seat with a lap dog. In regard to lap dogs, diverse views concerning their role in driver distraction have been raised.

First, there are those who believe that the pet is hazardous to the driver and any other passenger in the vehicle. Additionally, they argue that we live in a contemporary society where all passengers are advised on the usage of safety belts. However, we have not designed safety belts for lap dogs, and the worry is if they are they excused from this safety measure. Moreover, the owners of pets have no idea what might happen if an accident occurs.

Considering their proximity to the air bag, most pet dogs will instantly die from the impact of accidents. Therefore, it is a call for pet owners to stop crushing the poor animals by their chests. Surprisingly, this is the situation that most drivers get into. Perhaps, they least understand that driving is not a right but a privilege that can be revoked.

Besides, those drivers without lap dogs deserve their own road safety. Here, drivers with lap dogs need to understand the danger they pose to other road users. Subsequently, these drivers are as dangerous as those who are driving when they are drunk. It is not by surprise Arnold Schwarzenegger has suggested a fine of $35 on those drivers who share their driving seats with their pets.

On the other hand, most drivers find it ambiguous that texting, having a lap dog, making of receiving a phone call while driving is a criminal offense. Besides, such drivers find the use of a cell phone not as bad as having a lap dog on board. Furthermore, they believe that lap dogs give them the company they need, and as a result are not a source of any distraction whatsoever.

These drivers go on to say that using a cell phone is an involuntary activity that does not interfere with them. Similarly, having a lap dog on board does not affect their concentration while driving. One such driver argues that if he is driving along and his cheek gets itchy, he will scratch it, and that is a natural distracter.

His concluding remarks are that these futile rules are designed so that the highway cops can have work to do. However, critically speaking, this argument is not logical. Overall, it should be understood that using cell phones or having lap dogs that are left unstrained on board poses deadly major distractions.

Prewriting Assignment

Topic

The topic of this article is texting and driving. According to the authors of the article, the South Dakota Legislature needs to acknowledge the perils of texting and driving and place a ban on the practice. The article then outlines the reasons behind this argument.

Angle

My argument is that a ban on texting and driving is not enough to overturn the current developments. The state should instead direct its efforts towards educating the public about the dangers of texting and driving. This awareness campaign should mostly focus on teenagers and other youthful drivers.

Purpose

The purpose of my letter is to highlight the other aspects of texting and driving campaigns that could have a more significant effect than imposing a ban on texting. For instance, the State of South Dakota is not necessarily neglectful through its inaction.

Audience

The letter is addressed to all South Dakota residents as well as all stakeholders of safe driving. However, my letter makes specific reference to teenagers and youthful drivers because these groups are closer to the issue of texting and driving.

Personal Experience

I have a friend who was involved in a car accident while he was driving and texting. He hid this information from investigators but revealed it to me in confidence. Given the scope of the accident, he was lucky to have survived. He also revealed to me that he was not explicitly aware of the dangers of texting and driving. Therefore, there is a need for a comprehensive awareness campaign like the one for drinking and driving.

Context

The blame on the South Dakota legislature is unwarranted because there are other stakeholders of drunk driving, including the traffic department, activist groups, and other road users. Therefore, the call for a ban on texting and driving should be a concerted effort from all involved stakeholders. The national wide ban on texting and driving represents the part the government has to play. The rest of the efforts should be from other stakeholders.

Letter to the Editor on Ban on Texting and Driving in South Dakota

I am writing this letter in response to the Sioux City Journal’s article titled “Our Opinion: It’s time for a tough ban on texting while driving in S.D..” The article was authored by the journal’s joint editorial board. The article is a timely response to the rising instances of road accidents involving texting and driving. However, I feel that the sole blame on the South Dakota legislature is misplaced. From my perspective, a legal ban on texting and driving will not have a significant impact on the vice, and concerted efforts from various stakeholders could yield better results.

Lack of harsh legislation on texting and driving does not necessarily translate to high instances of this practice. It is important to note that the National Safety Council’s statistics do not only reflect on the situation in South Dakota but the whole country (Journal Editorial Board, 2014). Therefore, the authors of this article cannot link the alleged inaction of the legislature to the rising cases of texting and driving.

In some instances, it has been noted that states with the harshest texting and driving laws record the most instances of this vice (Harrison, 2013). Therefore, the authors of this article ought to have addressed the issue from a broader perspective. For instance, are instances of texting and driving higher in South Dakota compared to other states? According to current statistics, South Dakota is not even among the top 25 states when it comes to accidents related to texting and driving.

The focus should be on how to manage and create awareness about texting and driving instead of implementing bans. The spirit of democracy and good governance dictates that governments conduct enough awareness campaigns before coming up with primary laws. I have come across individuals who wonder why texting and driving should be a crime. Their reasoning is enabled by the fact that there is very little public awareness concerning texting and driving.

Most people, especially those under twenty-one years of age view, bans on texting and driving as criticism against their driving techniques (Harrison, 2013). Therefore, there is a need to conduct comprehensive public campaigns about the dangers of texting and driving. The authors of this article should consider pushing for public awareness campaigns before calling for a comprehensive ban on texting and driving. Furthermore, the article does not refer to any research on texting and driving in South Dakota, and this suggests that there is none yet.

Finally, there is no sufficient input from other safe driving stakeholders to highlight the seriousness of this issue. Bans on texting and driving in most of the other states have been preceded by activism and joint efforts against the practice. This has not been the case in South Dakota. The state is only following through with the trends in other states. For instance, in the past South Dakota has engaged in a massive campaign against drunk driving but not against texting and driving.

It is not enough or appropriate to implement a ban on texting and driving without considering other relevant factors. The authors of this article need to recognize the state’s specific needs and trends. The effectiveness of a ban also depends on the level of public awareness in the issue. There is no need to effect legislation just because other states have done so.

References

Harrison, M. A. (2013). College students’ prevalence and perceptions of text messaging while driving. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 43(4), 1516-1520.

Journal Editorial Board. (2014). Our Opinion: It’s time for tough ban on texting while driving in S.D. Sioux City Journal, 3(2), 1-2. Web.

Introduction

Vehicle accidents occur when a car collides with another car, pedestrian, or animal. A vehicle may also veer of the road and hit some stationary object such as a tree or pole or reaches a rough terrain such as a steep slope. Traffic accidents cause injury and death to millions of persons around the world.

Other results of accidents include loss of property. The dictionary defines an accident as an unforeseen and unwanted event or a disaster that occurs without any warning. However, strictly speaking, a number of traffic ‘accidents’ do not qualify as accidents since they could have been avoided.

Vehicle accidents are caused by a vast number of factors and the top six causes are in order from most common to least: distracted drivers, driver fatigue, drunk driving, speeding, aggressive driving, and weather.

Distracted Drivers

There are three main forms of distraction among drivers: visual, manual, and cognitive. Visual distraction occurs when a driver takes his eyes of the road while manual distraction occurs when a driver takes his hands off the steering wheel and finally, cognitive distraction occurs when a driver takes his concentration off the road. Research has shown that distracted drivers are the leading cause of car accidents(Redelmeier & Tibshirani, 1997).

Distractions are caused by a number of activities, however, a significant number of distractions have been attributed to mobile phone use. For instance, a driver may receive a phone call or make one, and while tending to the call, takes his mind of the road and increasing the chances of causing an accident. Writing text messages also cause distractions as a driver takes both his eyes and mind of the road (Strayer et al, 2003).

Figure 1: Distracted Driver

Other forms of distraction among drivers that have been numerously cited include low-tech distractions such as spilling hot coffee on oneself or dropping something on the floor and changing a radio station or tuning a climate control gadget.

A second, commonly reported cause of road accidents is driver fatigue. This condition is created when a driver suffers from the symptoms of fatigue while driving as a result of inadequate sleep and rest. Driver fatigue causes many drivers to fall asleep while on the wheel and this regularly leads to road accidents, however, it may also lead to exhaustion, causing a driver to make serious- and deadly- traffic mistakes (Redelmeier & Tibshirani, 1997).

Driving under the influence of alcohol, or drunk driving, is a leading cause of road accidents among the youth. Accidents arising from drunk driving normally occur during the weekends or on major holidays. Alcohol-related deaths are so common in the US, close to 40 % of all adult persons in the US will have been involved in a road accident involving alcohol. Over-speeding among drivers, aggressive driving, and poor weather make up the rest of the road accidents that occur in the US (NHTSA, 2010).

Phone Use and Road Accidents

Mobile phone use while driving is a very common phenomenon and can be quite dangerous. Indeed, several studies have shown that the number of deaths arising from phone use while driving has been increasingly steadily, and that drivers who use mobile phones while driving are at a higher risk of being involved in a road accident that those who do not (Strayer & William, 2001).

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released the results of a study that focused on the number of deaths resulting from driver distractions for the tear 2009 (NHTSA, 2010).

From the report, there were 5,474 fatalities arising from distracted drivers. Out of these fatalities, 995 were as a result of distraction by mobile phones. However, the report did not indicate whether there was a positive association between cell phone use and accidents (NHTSA, 2010).

Figure 2: Phone use and Road Accidents

A study of car accidents in the US conducted in 2003 showed that driver inattention resulted into 20-50 per cent of all road accidents (Eby and Lidia, 2003).

Driver distraction, which is a branch of inattention, has been approximated to be a causal factor in between 8 and 13 per cent of all accidents. Under driver distraction, mobile phone use contributes to between 1.5 and 5 per cent. However, the large number of variables in road accidents may cause errors in getting a clear picture of the overall contribution of cell phones to all road accidents.

These are variables that may also contribute to road accidents and include poor weather, poor roads, mechanical problems, driver fatigue, over speeding, and so on. The NHTSA recognizes this and asserts that only a small proportion of accidents are reported as having being caused by cell phone distraction. Inadequate reporting and use of different analytical techniques has led to differing results in various studies.

A report published by the Human Factors Journal reveals that cell phone use among drivers cause between 2,600 deaths and 330,000 deaths annually (Horrey and Christopher, 2006). Because of the rising number of deaths attributed to mobile phone use while driving, several states have passed legislation that limits cell phone use while driving on busy roads and highways.

Legislation

Figure 3: Legislation

Although restrictions have long been in place, they have been enforced by including strict penalties to stem the increase in the number of drivers ignoring the traffic rules. Some of the US states that have enacted laws against phone use while driving include California, Oregon, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Washington.

Most of the states have placed bans on all forms of hand held cell phone use while driving. As a result, a traffic officer can ticket a driver for using handheld mobile phones without any other offence having taken place (McEvoy et al, 2005).

As of January 2008, the state of Oregon enacted a law that stated that persons below the age of 18 years are not allowed to “operate a motor vehicle while using a mobile communication device” (Oregon.gov, 2011).

Additionally, such persons must have one of the following: 1) a permit; 2) a temporary driving license; or 3) a special student driver permit. A mobile communication device is described as “a text messaging device or a wireless, two-way communication device designed to receive and transmit voice or text communication” (Oregon.gov, 2011).

Persons convicted of this offence must undergo the Provisional Driver Improvement Program among other forms of punishments. And on the other side of the nation, the state of Tennessee does not authorize any learner permit or person holding a temporary license from using a mobile phone while driving. Besides, it is an offence for anyone to read or write a text message while driving. These laws are extended to school bus drivers, unless there is an emergency.

Several countries in the world have implemented strict laws on cell phone use while driving. For instance, in 2007, UK enacted traffic laws in which a traffic officer could add three penalty points to driver’s licenses besides a fine for motorists caught violating this law. Israel, Japan, and Singapore all ban mobile phone communication, as well as hands-free devices. New Zealand enacted laws against hand held devices in 2009.

A number of countries have adopted these laws in part or in full. Some countries use the legislation selectively on different segments of the population; stricter measures are placed on younger drivers.

Canada, Austria, Australia, Brazil, Israel, Italy, China, Ireland, Turkey, UK, Spain, Kenya, Malaysia, Morocco, and Bulgaria are just a few of the countries that have placed some form of ban on handheld cell phone use by motorists. Countries such as Japan and some states in the US have banned both handheld and hands-free communication devices.

Cell Phone Use while Driving is Dangerous

(Argument 1) When a driver uses the phone while driving, his eyes are not fixed on the road due to distraction from the conversation. A Ford study showed that there is a considerable difference in the distraction level between voice-controlled systems such and visually and manually operated systems mobile phones (Ford, 2011).

Further studies by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society showed that cell phone use causes drivers to respond slower to brake lights (Horrey and Christopher, 2006). In a minor positive finding, they were found to keep a 12% per cent breaking distance.

However, drivers were found to take 17 per cent more time to regain their speed when they braked, an action that frustrates everyone as it slows down the overall flow of traffic and increases the likelihood of an accident. Although some people have mentioned that using hands-free cell phone eliminates driver distraction, similar studies have proved the opposite; hands-free cell phones distract drivers as much as non-hands free units (Strayer & William, 2001).

Scientists have found out that while using hands-free systems, drivers ‘look but they do not see’ as their mind is diverted onto the phone call. Besides, the use of mobile phones for long hours has been found to be harmful as it can lead to brain cancer.

(Argument 2) The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society reports that using a cell phone while driving is just as risky as driving under the influence of alcohol (Horrey and Christopher, 2006). A paper by Strayer et al reported that the level of distraction caused by the two factors is similar (Strayer et al, 2003).

Of importance is that the study did not spare hands free devices, asserting both handheld and hands-free cell phones have similar effects on driver distraction. Since the use of mobile phones while driving is as bad as driving, the drivers must completely abstain from using them.

(Argument 3) Although many authorities have advised drivers to use hands-free cell phones rather than those that are handheld, studies have the latter is not significantly secure than the former. The study, undertaken by the AAA, indicates that hands free kits can cause enough distraction to cause a road accident (AAA, 2001) These studies found out that using hands free kits causes an increased ‘cognitive workload’ due to the involvement in conversation.

This distraction can lead to a 37 per cent drop in cognitive activity in the brain. Hence, the distracting factor is the conversation and not the device. Consequently, there has been a call for the ban of both hands free and handheld mobile devices by drivers, especially learners. However, a complete ban on the use of all mobile phone devices while on the road is the surest way of eliminating all accidents related to cell phone use (Utah DUI Checkpoints, 2009)

(Counter Argument 1) One weakness of the call to ban the use of cell phones by motorists is that such a move would imply that we ban all communication devices, a deed that is practically impossible due to the vast benefits of communication.

Cell phones help individuals to interact effortlessly over long distances and their full ban would create an inconvenience to a very large number of people. In fact, it is common that a driver asks for turn-by-turn instructions when driving into a new place. Instead of banning these devices, drivers should be advised on ways through which they can reduce road accidents and still use their phones. However, if such a move would benefit society against all the consequences, then we should proceed with the move.

(Counter Argument 2) The second counter argument against a ban on cell phone use while driving is that such a move might induce a state of boredom and cause a driver’s mind to wander off the road. Boredom might also induce dizziness or sleepiness. A sleepy driver may try to avoid sleep by talking to their spouse or friend (AAA, 2001). Instead of banning cell phone use, some factors and considerations should be assessed. These include:

• Is the driver using headphones or not?
• What is the nature of the conversation? Is it casual or heated?
• The pace of the drive and the weather condition;
• The experience of the driver; and so on.

These factors must be considered in coming up with security measurements, and it must be recognized that a sleepy driver on the road poses a far higher risk that one using a cell phone.

(Rebuttal Counter Argument 1 and 2) While authorities place bans on cell phone use by drivers, it is vital to note that individuals have every right to use their mobile devices as long as they do not violate the social requirement of keeping other road users safe. However, drivers also have a role to play in minimizing these risks, for instance, they can engage in other activities that prevent boredom and yet keep them alert on the road, such as listening to music through the car stereo.

Conclusion

Road accidents arising due to the use of mobile phones by driers have been on the rise in the past few decades. In most countries, the number of accidents has been proportional to the number of mobile phone subscribers thereby pointing to a positive link between the two.

These accidents are caused as a result of distractions among drivers. To reduce their occurrence, drivers must keep their eyes and minds on the road by limiting mobile phone use, both handheld and hands free. Failure to concentrate fully on the road can lead to serious injuries and even death of one or a couple of people. In order to improve the safety of our roads, each of us must play a role towards this goal.

References

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. (2001). The Role of Driver Distraction in Traffic Crashes. Web.

Eby, D., and Lidia K. (2003). Driver distraction and crashes: An assessment of crash databases and review of the literature. Michigan: UMTRI.

Ford. (2011). Study: Ford Sync Reduces Driving Distractions, Helps Drivers Keep Eyes on Road. Web.

Horrey, W. and Christopher W. (2006). Examining the Impact of Cell Phone Conversations on Driving Using Meta-Analytic Techniques. Human Factors (Human Factors and Ergonomics Society), 38 (1): 196–205.

McEvoy, S. Stevenson, M. R., McCartt, A. T., Woodward, M., Haworth, C., Palamara, P., and Cercarelli, R. (2005). Role of mobile phones in motor vehicle crashes resulting in hospital attendance: a case-crossover study. BMJ, 331 (7514): 428.

NHTSA. (U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). (2010). Distracted Driving 2009. Traffic Safety Facts.

Oregon. (2011). Oregon law prohibits use of cell phones and text messaging by teen drivers. Web.

Redelmeier, D. Tibshirani, R. (1997). Association between Cellular-Telephone Calls and Motor Vehicle Collisions. The New England Journal of Medicine, 336 (7): 453–458.

Strayer D. L. & William J. A. (2001). Driven to distraction: Dual-Task Studies of Simulated Driving and Conversing on a Cellular Telephone. Psychological Science, 6 (12): 462–466.

Strayer D. L., Drews F. A., & Johnston W. A. (2003). Cell Phone-Induced Failures of Visual Attention During Simulated Driving. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1 (9): 23–32.

Utah DUI Checkpoints. (2011). Banning Texting While Driving Will Save Lives. Web.

Figure 1 and 2: Web.

Figure 3: Web.

Abstract

The popularity of mobile phones has brought about a revolution in the way people do things. Most of this revolution has been in the way people communicate. Today, communication has become instant even for people in different parts of the world.

With people needing to keep in touch with their loved ones, business associates and acquaintances, mobile devices have become an irreplaceable part of life. However, this popularity has come with unintentional and even risky repercussions. According to researchers, communicating in mobile phones is linked to an upsurge in unfocused driving.

This act of distracted driving in return leads to injury and possible loss of lives through road accidents. If this is to be stopped, there is need to move with urgency and dissuade people from using their mobile phones while driving. This research paper looks at the dangers of texting while driving. The research paper will present some statistics to prove that texting while drivingis one of the biggest contributors of road accidents in American roads.

Introduction

The popularity of mobile phones has brought about a revolution in the way people do things. Most of this revolution has been in the way people communicate. Today, communication has become instant even for people in different parts of the world. With people needing to keep in touch with their loved ones, business associates and acquaintances, mobile devices have become an irreplaceable part of life.

However, this popularity has come with unintentional and even risky repercussions. According to researchers, communicating in mobile phones is linked to an upsurge in unfocused driving. This act of distracted driving in return leads to injury and possible loss of lives through road accidents.

If this is to be stopped, there is need to move with urgency and dissuade people from using their mobile phones while driving. This research paper looks at the dangers of texting while driving. The research paper will present some statistics to prove that texting while driving is one of the biggest contributors of road accidents in American roads. (Federal Communications Commission)

According to a report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drivers who get distracted contribute to about 16% of the deadly accidents happening in our roads. Further, the NHTSA estimates that distracted driving was a direct cause of 5,800 deaths and almost 500,000 injuries in 2008 alone.

According to findings of a study conducted by AAA, almost half of American youth admit that they often text while driving. The most saddening thing is that majority of these teens think that there is nothing wrong for them to text while driving. Given that texting while driving is a leading contributor of distraction for drivers and by looking at the current levels of injury and loss, something needs to be done with urgency. (FCC)

Today, so much literature has been dedicated to the issue of texting while driving. The one thing that all the available literature concludes is that texting while driving leads to lack of concentration hence impairing driver’s abilities.

One undisputed thing that happens with a texting driver is that he has to take his eyes off the road to concentrate on the text message. The amount of time that the driver takes to concentrate on the road is enough to miss a changing light or fail to notice a driver who has abruptly stopped in front of him. Additionally, when a driver is texting, his mind has to be on the message he is writing or studying.

This definitely bars the driver from thinking in a swift manner and compromises his impulse reaction. The most probable thing therefore is that the driver would be slow in reacting to a situation on the road since his thoughts are engaged elsewhere. This lack of concentration is the cause of many accidents happening today. (McElroy)

According to reports, a person texting while driving has a 600% more likelihood of causing an accident than the person under the influence of drugs. In addition, texting while driving produces a 23% chance of causing an accident. These statistics have been verified repeatedly through different studies. One such report by an association called Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) identifies texting as one of the worst road mistakes that drivers commit.

The most worrying thing is that while 37% of teenagers admit that texting while driving makes them to be distracted, they are yet to stop this habit. In the same study, an alarming figure of 46% admitted that the only time they get distracted while driving is when they are texting. According to analysts, texting is considered a serious public security issue. As all this is happening, law enforcement agencies are yet to come up with a law that bans text messaging among drivers. (Austin)

Based on studies done on the subject, insurance companies are slowly devising ways to reduce this hazard. Some of the rules include banning the use of mobile phones while driving. While parents are supposed to give guidance to their children, an amazing 52% of teenagers confess that their parents would never punish them for texting while driving.

On the other hand, only a paltry 36% believe that their parents would be concerned if they texted while driving. Most young people say that their parents have a great influence on the way they drive. Not surprisingly, three quarters of teens say that their parents use their mobile devices while driving. (Vogel)

Recommendations

Although there are no federal laws regulating texting while driving, drivers should first think of their own safety even in the absence of the law. Drivers who are in their teens should be given instructions not to use their mobile devices while driving. Before issuance of a new license, drivers should be taught about the dangers of taking their attention out of the road.

Mostly, a child’s biggest mentor is the parent. If parents would stay off texting while driving, their children would follow their example. It is advisable for parents to be a good example to their children by pulling off the road when they have to text or make a phone call. In reality, it is not everyone who knows the dangers of texting while driving.

Therefore, it is important for enlightened people to tell others about the dangers of texting while driving. No matter how urgent a text is, one should be wise enough to know that it is not as important as their life and that of other road users. However, the most effective way of ensuring that text messaging do not continue to be a menace in our roads is to come up with a kind of technology that jams cell phones while one is driving. The government should therefore do everything to ensure that such a law is passed. (Pinkston)

Conclusion

The magnitude of carnage on our roads has been on the rise in recent years. Most of these accidents have been detected to be caused by lack of concentration on the part of the drivers. Texting while driving is one cause for lack of concentration among many drivers. Many young people claim that they can efficiently text while driving. However, all research done on this field proves that it is impossible to do the two without losing concentration.

Texting while driving is placed in the same category as drinking and driving. This therefore calls for more education on the use of mobile devices while on the road to reduce cases of accidents caused by lack of concentration. This duty first starts with parents who have to set an example to their children by not texting while driving. On top of this, the government needs to come up with legislation that outlaw the use of mobile devices while one is driving.

Works Cited

Austin, M. Texting While Driving: How dangerous is it?-Feature, 2009. Web.

Federal Communications Commission. FCC Consumer Advisory. The Dangers of Texting While Driving, 2009. Web.

McElroy, G. Simulator Warns Students of Dangers of Texting While Driving, 2010. Web.

Pinkston, L. Dangers of Texting While Driving, 2010. Web.

Vogel, S. Teen Driver Menace. Text-Messaging Studies Show Texting While Driving is Epidemic, 2007. Web.

Introduction

Mobile phones are increasingly becoming an integral constituent of society with young people, in particular, embracing the technology that has come to be associated with a multiplicity of positive and negative consequences (Suss & Waller 2011).

Emerging trends from the developed world demonstrate that the youth have the highest levels of mobile phone ownership across all age-groups and are prolific consumers of the technology (Walsh et al 2008), and the situation is marginally different in most developing countries where markets for mobile phones have been phenomenal (Thomee et al 2011).

Responsible use of these devices has been associated with desirable outcomes, such as increased feeling of belonging, better social identification and a stronger perception of security, but addictive use is often associated with undesirable outcomes which borders on stress, peer pressure, dilution of the social fabric or mobile phone dependence (Suss & Waller 2011).

For instance, younger drivers engage more on the use of mobile phone while driving, particularly to send and receive text messages, thereby endangering their lives, and mobile phone debt, occasionally leading to bankruptcy, is increasingly becoming a big challenge for many young users globally (Walsh et al, 2008).

It is indeed true that the youth form a significant component of the general population even though it is challenging to delineate this particular group, primarily because of the fact that the phase of life between childhood and adulthood differs across geographical and sociocultural contexts, not mentioning that an individual’s maturity may not necessarily correspond the number of years lived (Campbell, 2005).

Yet, it is this group of the population that is most at risk due to usage patterns coupled with an insatiable appetite to discover more about the world, of course through the use of mobile phones and other handheld devices. An emerging strand of literature (e.g., Walker et al, 2011; Thomee et al, 2011) reports of ‘addictive’ forms of mobile use, especially among the young people, in ways that have the capacity not only to destroy relationships and careers but also weaken the social fabric that holds society together.

The purpose of the present paper is to critically evaluate the effects, both positive and negative, of increased use of mobile phones on young people, and how these effects can be mitigated to avoid negative ramifications. The paper also seeks to explain the physical and physiological effects of excessive use of mobile phones on young people. Finally, the report seeks to illuminate some important insights into the social effects of mobile phones on young people.

Challenges and Effects of Excessive Use of Mobile Phones on Young People

Mobile phones are hand-held portable devices that use analogue or digital frameworks to receive frequencies transmitted by cellular towers or base stations to connect to connect calls and other services between two gadgets (Thomee et al 2011).

The gadgets have the capacity, not only to make and receive calls but also to access other services, such as text messaging (SMS), multimedia messaging (MMS), email alerts, web access, Bluetooth and infrared compatibility and functionality, business software applications, games and photo editing (Khan 2008).

Academics and industry are of the opinion that these additional services provided by mobile telephones form fertile grounds for excessive use and misuse of the gadgets, particularly by the young people (Walker et al, 2011). For instance, smart phones, which are the ‘in-thing’ for many young people across the world, offer the real possibility of accessing all these capabilities just by a single touch of the screen, thereby providing an easy channel through which young people continually engage in overuse and misuse of these services.

While some young people use the internet-enabled mobile phones to access pornographic sites containing sexually explicit materials (Abbasi & Manawar, 2011), others use the webcams installed on their phones to capture sexual images and forward them to their friends through cyberspace (Thomee et al, 2011).

According to Walker et al (2011), “…these images then become part of a young person’s digital footprint, which may last forever and damage future career prospects and relationships” (p. 9). As noted elsewhere, pornographic sites may provide the impetus for young people to start engaging in premarital or irresponsible sex (OECD/ECMT Transport Research Centre 2006).

Physical, Psychological and Physiological Effects of Excessive Use of Mobile Phones

Mobile phone dependence has been cited in the literature as contributing to negative physical and physiological ramifications on young people (Thomee et al 2011). These authors note that there exist positive correlations between mobile phone dependence on the one hand, and stress, sleeps disturbances, and enhanced symptoms of depression on the other.

Still, another study reported in Abbasi & Manawar (2011) demonstrates a positive correlation between excessive mobile phone use and undesirable psychological and physiological behavior outcomes, such as agitation, dependence on stimulants, irresponsible lifestyle, difficulty in sleeping, sleep disruption, and stress vulnerability.

Young people are more likely than old people to feel the pressure arising from these undesirable outcomes, not only because of their weak conflict-resolution mechanisms but also because their brains are not developed fully to maturity (Walker et al 2011; Walsh et al 2011), leading to the engagement of other equally risky behaviors, such as smoking, sniffing and alcohol abuse (Thomee et al 2011).

Available literature demonstrates that browsing of phonographic material via internet-enabled hand-held devices has negative psychological ramifications on young people, particularly in terms of seeking for immediate sexual gratification and blurred thought system (Walker et al 2011; Abbasi & Manawar 2011). These predispositions, according to the authors, may eventually lead to sexual disorders, stress, sexual dysfunction and risk of facing criminal charges due to engaging in prohibited content.

There is an emerging concern about the potential hazards that electromagnetic waves emitted by mobile phones pose to the health and wellbeing of users, particularly in the development of cancerous brain tumors (Khan 2008). One particular study reported by the National Cancer Institute (2011) found that people who engage in dependent mobile phone use before celebrating their 20^th birthday have more than 50 percent risk of suffering from cancer of the glial cells than those who didn’t engage in the behavior.

Additionally, as reported in this document, individuals who become over dependent on mobile phone use while still in their formative years of life have over 50 percent risk of developing benign, but often immobilizing, lumps of the auditory nerve (acoustic neuroma) than those who didn’t engage in the habit.

Social effects

On the positive front, mobiles phones have been credited for assisting young people to socialize with their peers and establish virtual relationships which are oiled by the ease and availability of the communication process (Walsh et al 2010). Young people are now more than ever before able to organize and maintain a social network, and to interact effectively with their peers (Campbell 2005).

In addition, young people can now benefit from the immense knowledge and information that could be readily accessed through their internet-enabled phones (Khan 2008). Lastly, parents are able to keep track of their children (Ong 2010).

However, these benefits are often blurred by the many negative effects associated with excessive mobile phone use, such as cyber bullying and deterioration of face-to-face interpersonal relationships (Campbell 2005; Abbasi & Manawar 2011; Khan 2008).

Research demonstrates that compared to physical interpersonal socialization, cyber bullying is a more injurious orientation as it can distract an individual from facing the real social issues – both physically and psychologically (Thomee et al 2011). Additionally, excessive use of mobile phones leads to social alienation, where young people spend a lot of time talking to absent friends while ignoring those people around them (Ong 2010).

The issue of etiquette in mobile phone use is also been overlooked by many young people, leading to scenarios where users may either create distractions to other people in the communication process, or where mobile phone usage becomes an environmental risk (Khan 2008). For instance, young people are known to create distractions in banking halls, educational settings and even in home meetings by making and receiving calls in surroundings that do not warrant such use (Thomee et al 2011).

Finally, according to Kamran (2010), “…one of the major negative consequences of addictive mobile use is financial cost or really expensive mobile phone bills” (p. 27). The heavy financial burden may lead the youth to engage in petty crimes, such as stealing money from their parents to buy credit so that they can communicate with their peers.

Conclusion

Not only is it evident that mobile phone use has both desirable and undesirable outcomes on young people, but it has been demonstrated beyond doubt that this group of the population has an orientation to over depend on the gadgets.

To mitigate these effects, therefore, it is imperative for relevant stakeholders, including the youth, parents, mobile phone service providers and governments, to devise strategies of ensuring responsible and controlled use of the devices, particularly by young people. Such strategies are ostensibly instrumental in limiting the serious health, psychological, physiological and social challenges posed by excessive use of these gadgets.

As suggested in a report by the Center on Media and Child Health (2010), the negative effects associated with excessive mobile phone use, particularly among the youth, are bound to increase in the future. Consequently, parents and other interested stakeholders need to create awareness about the need to limit mobile phone use due to the consequences associated with excessive use of these devices (Khan 2008).

Young people also need to be educated on the responsible use of mobile phones. Lastly, school administrators need to be empowered not only to effectively monitor the use of these gadgets but also to pass critical information about the inherent dangers posed by overuse (Center on Media and Child Health 2010).

Reference list

Abbasi S. & Manawar, M. 2011, ‘Multi-dimensional challenges facing digital youth and their consequences’, Cybersecurity Summit, London, June 2011, Worldwide Group.

Campbell, M. 2005, ‘The impact of the mobile phone on young people’s social life’, in Social Change in the 21st Century, Queensland University of Technology, pp.1-14.

Center of Media and Child Health. 2010. Web.

Kamran, S. 2010, ‘Mobile phone: Calling and texting patterns of college students in Pakistan’, International Journal of Business and Management, vol. 5 no. 4, pp. 26-36.

Khan, M. M. 2008, ‘Adverse effects of excessive mobile phone use’, International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, vol. 21 no. 4, pp. 289-293.

National Cancer Institute 2011, Cell phones and cancer risk. Web.

OECD/ECMT Transport Research Centre, European Conference of Ministers of Transport, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, United Nations. Economic Commission for Europe 2006, Young drivers: the road to safety, OECD Publishing.

Ong, R. Y. C. 2010, Mobile communication and the protection of children, Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press.

Thomee, S., Harenstam, A. & Hagberg, M. 2011, ‘Mobile phone use and stress, sleep disturbances, and symptoms of depression – a prospective cohort study’, BMC Public Health, vol. 11 no. 9, pp. 66-76.

Walkers, S., Sanci, L. & Temple-Smith, M. 2011, ‘Sexting and young people’, Youth Studies Australia, vol. 30 no. 4, pp. 8-16.

Walsh, S. P., White, K. M. & Young, R. M. 2010, ‘Needing to connect: the effect of self and others on young people’s involvement with their mobile phones’, Australian Journal of Psychology, vol. 62 no. 4, pp. 194-203.

ScienceDaily 2008, Weep News: Excessive mobile phone use affects sleep in teens, study finds. Web.

Suss, D. & Waller, G. 2011, Mobile telephone use by young people in Switzerland: The borders between committed use and addictive behavior. Web.

Introduction

Popular culture encapsulates the society’s wholesome activities. Popular culture is the expression of a society’s common beliefs, practices, rituals and ideas through various expressions and materials identifiable with a given society (Browne, 2005, p.3). The cell phone is one of the most prevalent communication devices across the globe today.

Nearly all teens and adults in America own at least one cell phone. When used while driving, the cell phone poses a grave danger to the driver and other road users. Unfortunately, the dangerous habit of texting while driving is extremely common on American roads and highways. There are two theories on popular culture that apply to the act and practice of texting while driving. The first theory is the theory of mass society, and the second theory is the theory of the culture industry.

The Theory of mass society, cell phone and texting while driving

The theory of mass society states that, popular culture is an intrinsic expression of the demands and aspirations of the people of a society. The cell phone itself is a cultural icon. In the American society, and especially amongst teens and the youths, cell phone is not only a communication device, but also an entertainment source and a status symbol.

With its widespread use, the cell phone has been the subject of many popular myths that have no logical of scientific foundation. For instance, the widely held myth that radiation from cell phones affects the sperm quality of men persists with little empirical and scientific evidence to support it.

The act of texting while driving is an expression of the status of modern society. As many Americans acquire cell phones and cars, the phenomena of texting while driving, however dangerous, is bound to occur. The average American engages in multiple tasks; therefore, the use of phones to send a quick message while driving is an expression of the contemporary American’s ever-busy schedule and almost ceaseless engagements.

The Theory of Culture Industry, Cell phone Texting while Driving

The theory of the culture industry states that popular culture is an expression of the schism of class within a society. According to this theory, popular culture is an expression of the beliefs, values, practices, and images (icons) of people of lower classes within a society. Within the context of the theory of culture, popular culture is almost equitable to an act of rebellion towards the higher class and authority.

In the US, youths are most notorious for using their cell phones while driving. The act of texting while driving is perpetuated by the popular myth that the youths, especially women, can easily multitask. This myth highlights the almost superhuman abilities of a woman in performing various engaging tasks simultaneously.

Although various campaigns and advertisements by government agencies seek to highlight the dangers of texting and the general use of the cell phone while driving, the dangerous habit continues to persist amongst the youths. Some states like California have even enacted laws against the use of cell phone while driving. As the culture industry theory states, the persistence of this dangerous practice, especially amongst the youths, can be attributed to a rebellion against the authority.

Conclusion

The application of these two theories on popular culture, in the analysis of the popular culture of cell phone texting while driving, enabled an in-depth understanding of the practice/culture. The theory of mass society aided me in gaining insight on the culture of cell phone texting as an emergent expression of the youth of society.

On the other hand, the theory of the culture industry helped me to point to practice as a form of rebellious expression. Therefore, an analysis of the topic through the provisions of these two theories enabled for a much broader and in-depth understanding of the topic.

Reference

Browne, R. B. (Ed.). (2005). Profiles of Popular Culture: A Reader. Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Press.

Texting while driving is more dangerous than driving under the influence of substance abuse or alcohol. Researchers argue that drivers who text while driving have higher chances of crashing into other vehicles, running over pedestrians, and injuring their passengers. Although different literatures have argued that banning texting while driving saves lives, studies that fully address on this issue are rare and few.

Objectives

The proposal paper seeks to reveal how banning texting while driving saves lives, and outlines the measures that can be adopted to reduce on the related accidents. To address on the impacts of texting while driving, and to identify whether the government recommendations to outlaw the act are effective, this paper undertakes a survey on our current road safety measures.

Through this proposal paper, researchers will be able to cover on the areas an unaddressed by the previous researches. Equally, the paper will investigate whether the absence of substantial statistics is to be blamed for the slow implementation of the policies aimed at reducing accidents resulting from texting while driving.

Methods

To achieve the goals of the objectives proposed above, a comprehensive case study needs to be conducted on the risks of texting while driving and how the prohibition of the act will save lives. Through this case study, drivers, pedestrians, traffic police, and other transportation stakeholders are to be interviewed. Likewise, to obtain comprehensive results, the case study must analyze data from different sources.

In this regard, researches have to make use of academic journals, relevant books, related literatures, EBSCO, websites, and police records. By doing so, the case study will not only collect several views on how to enforce effective measures to reduce on the situation, but also come up with relevant recommendations. In addition, the case study will enable researchers identify if the proposed method of checking drivers’ phone records has been effective, and how this act infringes on their privacy.

Discussion

The information collected through this case study will be of interest to the researchers, traffic police officers, passengers, and the drivers. Since the government is interested in reducing road accidents through legislation of appropriate traffic laws, the government also will show an interest in the outcomes obtained in this case study.

Using the collected information, the government can come up with appropriate laws and measures that are to be implemented by all road users. Similarly, through this study, the government can examine whether all the previous policies implemented have attained their desired goals.

By reading this case study, road users will realize that texting while driving is a risky act, and that swift measures need to be put in place to reduce on its prevalence. Through these readings, relevant stakeholders will realize the need to enforce appropriate laws that will prohibit texting while driving. Equally, all the stakeholders will realize the need to put in place adequate information systems to measure the extent of road accidents resulting from texting while driving.

In the end, the case study will be presented to the relevant authorities. Thereafter the relevant authorities will evaluate the collected data based on the standards established. Further research on the effects of driving while driving are encouraged to evaluate and identify the impacts of interventions outlined in our case study. Through this, investigators need to identify the current measures that address the issues and expound on them.

When making a choice of a subject that others have not focused on, I usually reflect on it without any particular method or order. By so doing, the reflections appear in freedom and looseness of an essay more than the regularity of a discourse set. It is in this manner that I consider Texting in my present essay.

All the creations below and above a man are considered serious because he the merriest of all. A man will always see things in a different angle from other beings and, therefore, find his mirth developing from objects that cause things like displeasure or pity in higher nature. Texting is indeed an incredible counterpoise to spleen.

As observed, the master pieces and vast souls of human nature were formed in the worlds first ages, a time when text messaging was not there. Men were strangers to little embellishments and texting which are more fashionable in the present days. They shined from the noble simplicity of their behaviors. Texting has tried to bridge the gap between the unreachable and the civilized world. In the gap, there stretches a treacherous barrier.

There is no accounting for the best text, they spring up from anybody. They can come from people in whom, for many generations never had a slight idea attached to them. A persuasive text is proficient in consoling. A person in deep grief and sorrow will not feel like anybody else. There is nothing that can convince him or her otherwise. It becomes less heartrending than more pitiful to see them immensely cheerful while going about their businesses.

In addition, it becomes particularly poignant to see them humming or whistling as they go, unconscious of their terrible quandary. The text gives them utmost which results to whole humored patience altitude, dutiful words of approval, and praises with pale damns. To cut the long story short, he or she is left with a firm heart that, everything is all right.

The adults’ activities of all the species are much known to us. When you are not feeling well, who is the person that makes haste to your bed side with moods of blancmange which you have hated from childhood with unspeakable loathing? My dear, gentle reader, you are way ahead of me as usual- it is in deed the authentic text.

The entire text effectively smooth out the bolster after you have just worked in the contented shape, screech into the room on less noisy tiptoe, affectionately lay on the delirious forehead damp cloths which trickle incessantly down your neck.

The latest advancement in technology and the increased desire to be wealthy have made people extremely busy. Nowadays there are no people to befriend you. Everybody is busy trying to make ends meet. In times of illness, a text will always act as a comforter which makes the sick have hopes towards fulfillment of destiny.

Texting reveals the truth in the statement that was given by Louis that, ‘we grow weary when idle” (4). A person is not only considered idle because of doing nothing, but it also includes doing great things that are not recognizable by the relevant ruling class. Texting is a great deal that is recognized in the ruling class. A person who drafts a text with an intension of creating an impact to somebody’s life is a hundred times better than a person spending the whole day begging.

Both the beggar and the writer are considered busy but, the result obtained from their work is what matters. This is what makes texting recognizable in the diagnostic formulas of the ruling class. Some people may argue out that texting is time consuming, that is okay because they are right to some extent, but, the effectiveness of their statement is reduced when the benefits of the text are reviewed.

If you look back to your life, am sure most of the time you write a text you realize afterwards how much time have gone. Texting makes your hands and brain so active and the act of being busy results to kinetic stability. I am much sincere that, you would confidently join me when I say that, “texting is a legitimate medicine for killing idleness”.

One evening I was scrolling though my phone as I went through the old massages which I had not discarded. I slowed down to re- read a text which I had received from my former school mate a few months ago. I had not given much concentration to it when he sent me because I was listening to summon. It was a story of a tycoon who took his only son for a picnic to show him how poor one can be.

They spent the whole day in a poor man’s farm exploring from one corner to the other. On their way back home, the tycoon asked the son, “Did you see how poor they are?” The son looked at his father and said, “we have piped water, they have a river; we have a wall to protect us, they have friends to protect them; we use bulbs for lighting, they use stars; we read encyclopedias, they read a bible; I have seen how poor we are”.

The text inspired me a lot, and I felt the need to share it with other friends. I edited a few words and forwarded to my friends whom we had not chatted for long. Later at night, five of the friends replied expressing how they felt after reading the text.

The most startling and shocking thing happened in the morning when another friend appeared to me with a small bottle on his left hand. He was intending to poison himself because of some challenges he was facing. He had spent many days in distress with no one to comfort him. Do you still argue that texting does not encourage?

This is just a single scenario out of many which happen in our daily lives. I am extremely sure that, people are full of stories to tell about how encouraging a text can be. A text can trigger the mind and make it focus on a totally different thing than the one it had. It is a fact that, texting is a productive mental exercise which functions effectively when sent to the right reader.

It is a savior to people who have been dominated by slavery careers, people who have many alternatives and options to choose in life but all of them are the same, ‘giving up’. These are people who live a life of complaints, all they say is, “my strength has failed me”, and they have no better alternative than losing hope.

People will always ignore many things, but advice is much of this. We find that the people giving the counsel as citizens who present a challenge to our mode of thinking and take us to be children. The instructions given by these people are considered as the zeal and implicit censure with presumption or impertinence. Due for this reasons, the art of making an advice agreeable becomes exceedingly difficult.

It is from this weakness that I take the chance of considering texting the best method to give advices. Advising people through text is easier than through face to face conversations. This is because it is the less shocking and it makes it easier for people to talk about private and personal issues that one would otherwise feel shy to talk about face to face. A reader is also able to read the message several times and reflect on it.

The advice intimates itself barely, the one reading it learns in a surprise, giving him or her wisdom. This simply means that a man is over reached as he follows the dictates of another. Reading the text gives a masterly ambition of the soul as well as gratification. When reading, everything comes out to him as a discovery of his own. He is simply busied to apply the circumstances and characters of the adviser (Addison, 3).

At this stage of the essay, I intend to support the wise men who said that, “every thing that has advantages has disadvantages too”. We can all agree that all the people born after 1980 are digital natives. They have grown up under the influence of the new technology because they use it every day. Texting is as delightful as amateurish especially to learning students.

Text messaging is time consuming because it takes time to write particularly on cellular contrivances like keyboards. Just like all other forms of writing, texting takes time especially on cellular devices like keyboards. For many years, ‘texters’ if so called have been saving time through the use of short hand commonly referred to as ‘chat- speak’.

The form used abbreviations which include numbers, incorrect grammar, and symbols. Students are the most users of texts as they do it most often. This has highly affected them because it has led to extension of the habit to school related projects, job applications and in the real world scenarios.

As Tomita puts it, texting has destroyed the way kids think, read, and write because it has reduced their level of critical thinking (5). Students have gone to the extent of instant messaging, which reduces time, resulting to conversion of formal English to informal one. This has made them unable to pronounce and punctuate correctly and hence poor performance. My question is; where will we get the professionals? Automatically, the answer is ‘no where’.

Gone are the days when people could write compelling grammar and converse correctly. Unless something is urgently done in the learning institutions, we will end up with a society of a few or no competence personnel to work and serve people. This is the generation that uses small letters in place of capital letters. Are they the same people who will teach the future generations? I question the future of literacy. Our generation is ending; we better conclude that.

There are very serious issues that arise from such things as social text sending. I think everybody will support me when I say that, chatting with friends by use of text messaging is as addictive as any drug. It is a natural, human tendency that needs to be responded to. These circumstances are much prevalent in places where the medium for communication are readily available.

In addition to that, text message conversations take longer than face to face conversations. But, is this a problem? This brings us to the second negative effect of text messaging. It has created a lot of problems in the social communication. It is not astonishing to hear a child say to everyone around him that, they are not valuable like the person on the phone.

According to the survey done by Zogby International, there is a serious risk on roads. The survey showed that, out of a hundred people, sixty six text while driving. This is indeed a behavior that can be taken as compulsive as well as obsessive, and a stupid thing to do. People who are much addicted to text messaging do not live a comfortable life.

You try to be in two places at the same time and end up, not in either, this leads to lack of comfort when doing things and it is a lousy way to live your life. To a person driving, texting is a vital distraction. It is devilishly hard for him, or her to maintain focus while texting and driving at the same time. This reduces the competence levels of controlling vehicles and increases the time of response to any danger. Texting while driving is equally risky as driving while drunk.

The prospect of a driver getting into an accident increases while he is texting. It does not matter how well one drives, if one driver on the road is not careful, all of them are exposed to a danger of losing their lives. Even though, it is a not a consistent problem, texting do cause wrecks for which some are fatal. I have a pal who was lately involved in an accident because of texting on the road. It is only because he was not driving fast; otherwise, it would be seriously hazardous (Baggott, 2).

Time wasting is another dissenting that makes my heart sunken. According to the survey conducted in year 2000 by Harris Interactive, forty seven percent of the teenagers felt that, texting reduces the time for socializing. It has led to deteriorating of social life. Fifty four percent of the female crowd concurred with this saying that; it leads to over- communication. A lot of time is spent chatting over pointless things.

In the coming years, literacy will eventually fade away or deteriorate. The various aspects of literacy vary in respect to the types of media being used to pass information to people or to varying audiences. Switching to a linguistic mode from a text massaging language mode will be singularly appropriate to students because it will help them in addressing the teachers and essay writing.

As per facts given in various researches, there is a very dynamic change that is happening in the world of text messaging. We need to act now. ‘Tomorrow’ will never come. It is the high time we settle the battle between the past and present. We need to bring down the texting technology that has dominated communication between young people to a lower level. There is a need to change the necessity and purposes of analyzing audience in a tone that will find intelligence and persuasiveness.

Works Cited

Addison, J. On giving advice, Reading and resources, classic essays. New York. Penguin. 1984. Print.

Baggott, K. Literacy and text messaging. Technology review. New York. MIT. 2006. Print.

Louis, R. S. An apology for Idlers. Reading and resources, classic essays. New York. Penguin. 1984. Print.

Tomita, Dean. “Text Messaging and Implications of its use in Education.” TCC 2009 proceedings. 2009. Web.

Abstract

This Study will be carried out to establish the causes and effects of cell phone use among male students at Al Ittihad National School. It will specifically determine the various factors that may cause the use of cell phones among the male students, and how the use can affect the students in the several possible ways ranging from psychological to academic performance.

The study was mainly encouraged by the recent rapid technological advance in the cell phone devices that has made them an integral part of the youth life. There are various features that have been incorporated on cell phone devices have created a near fanatical following among adolescents who are otherwise still struggling with self identity issues.

Previous studies have shown that peer pressure and parental factors play a significant role in the adoption of mobile phone devices by high school going children. Research on mobile phone usage among students has been ongoing for several years in other countries. Several studies have shown that mobile phones can have both positive and negative effects on students.

Positive effects mainly come in the form of improved learning activities, whereby mobile phones can be utilized as tools to access the internet and facilitate the retrieval of learning materials, help organize class activities such as meetings and discussions, and coordinate study groups among the students (Zulkefly & Baharudin, 2009).

Cell phones can also help students to develop social by keeping in touch with their peers and parents. In addition, they enable students to guard themselves by providing a reliable means of soliciting for help during crisis situations.

The negative effects associated with cell phones are many. Different studies analyzed in this paper indicate that cell phone use can be addictive and thus bring with it several psychological effects that affect the student’s performance (Kawasaki, Tanei, Ogata, Burapadaja, & Loetkham, 2006). The results of this study may confirm the findings of similar studies which have been carried out in other areas.

Introduction

Cell phones have evolved into important communication tools and therefore becoming an integral part of the society. Populations across the world, consisting of different age groups that include the youth are increasingly using cell phones to keep in touch with family, friends, colleagues and other acquaintances (Kawasaki, Tanei, Ogata, Burapadaja, & Loetkham, 2006).

Cell phones were first used in United Arab Emirates in 1998 and they were mainly in the hands of elites and professionals. This first generation communication devices were only equipped with basic communication features such as voice calls and later text messages.

Today, cell phone usage has spread among all members of the society including high school students and even pupils in several countries. The current mobile phone is equipped with features that allow more sophisticated communication and entertainment. This include multi media messages, MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3) player, games internet, videos and social network applications (Hakoama & Hakoyama, 2011).

The rapidly increasing technological advance in the cell phone industry has made mobile phones to be very attractive to the youth (Campbell, 2007). Therefore schools and other educational establishments have had a hard time trying to limit the influence of cell phones on their students (Hakoama & Hakoyama, 2011).

Several studies have indeed shown cell phones to be very popular among the youth, including high school students. Studies conducted in the UAE show that a large proportion of the youth and children own cell phones (Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, 2009).

An ICT survey carried out in 2008 showed that up to 67% of students owned mobile phones in the United Arab Emirates (Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, 2009).

Initially, school policy was quite prohibitive as students were required to leave their phones at home, turn them of or keep them in the lockers (Zulkefly & Baharudin, 2009). As time went by, schools began to change their policies to allow students to have limited access to mobile phones.

The current use of cell phones by students mainly relates to personal and social purposes. The immense popularity of mobile phones among high school students in the UAE can be attributed to the popularity of prepaid subscriptions and the low cost of mobile handsets (Kawasaki, Tanei, Ogata, Burapadaja, & Loetkham, 2006).

Owning a cell phone has become a practical necessity, as well as a status symbol for young people who are, as always, struggling with peer pressure and conformity . Cell phones are very much viewed as a fashion accessory by different categories of youth in the UAE.

Researches conducted in regard to the usage of mobile phones among the young generations have revealed that most of them take cell phones to be part and parcel of their daily lives. The increased attention of mobile phones among students has attracted massive research by scholars who are trying to establish how cell phones have impacted on education (Thaden, 2009).

The causes and potential effects of mobile use among high school students in the UAE necessitate more research. This research study will thus seek to establish the reasons why male students at the Al Ittihad National School use mobile phones and the effects that may be associated with the use.

Al Ittihad National School is located in Abu Dhabi and is a private profit making K-10 school (Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, 2009). The school offers a US curriculum and has both national and international students mainly from the US (Kolb, 2006).

Statement of the problem/ research questions

Problem statement

Research on cell/mobile phone usage in high schools that has been carried out in other countries reveal positive and negative effects. Although the findings can be applied to have an idea regarding the situation in the UAE, there is a strong need for own research to be conducted so as to establish variations or other findings that may be specific to UAE students.

Indeed previous research has shown that mobile phone usage can have both positive and negative effects to high school students. In UAE, more male students have access to mobile phones when compared to their female counterparts.

It’s important to determine the specific reasons that cause high school students to use mobile phones and the various outcomes that may be associated with this use. The study will be carried out at Al Ittihad School and will specifically try to establish the causes and effects of mobile phone usage among male students.

Research Questions

• What are the causes of mobile phone usage among male students at the Al Ittihad School?
• What are the effects of mobile phone usage among male students at the Al Ittihad School?

Literature Review

Causes of cell phone usage

Cell phone use and addiction among young individuals may be explained using the psychological theory. Erikson described the adolescent stage as a period of identity searching (Campbell, 2007).

Adolescents are always plagued by the experience of trying to understand who they are, the group they belong to and who they would like to be when they get older; they become excessively self conscious and pay much attention to what their peers think of them (Lie, 2004). Studies show that this situation makes them to be more vulnerable to trends that they consider fashionable such as newer and flashy technological devices.

Mobile phones are equipped with different features that make them appeal to the young generation. Previous studies have shown that young cell phone users prefer to use text messaging as opposed to voice calls.

This service may be preferred because it’s cheaper, quick and convenient (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009). Most teenagers have been shown to use text messages so as to achieve a steady coordination between friends and family. The patterns of text messaging are thought to peak anywhere between ages sixteen and twenty four.

Comparative studies carried out to contrast cell phone usage among Japanese and American adolescents showed that a large proportion (69%) of Japanese adolescents preferred to use their mobile phones for texting while up to 40% of the American adolescents favored the game features on their mobile phones (Campbell, 2007).

The Japanese adolescents were also seen to prefer the MP3 features on their mobile phones as compared to other features (Campbell, 2007).

Cell phones are designed to allow effective communication between individuals who are vast distances apart. Adolescents primarily use the mobile phone to communicate to their family members and peers. Several studies have shown that the use of cell phones by teenagers or adolescents to contact their family members are more frequent compared to contacting friends.

Communicating with family members is very important as it enables them to feel secure. This is due to the fact that family members are considered to be the most important people in their lives (Kawasaki, Tanei, Ogata, Burapadaja, & Loetkham, 2006). In addition, cell phones have been found to be very effective during emergency situations.

Psychologists have identified cell phones to be vital tools of building family relationships as they enable family members to stay in touch even when they are far from one another. The ability of cell phones to offer communication between family members at any time and place makes them an effective replacement of physical contact.

This way parents can remotely assist their children to carry out their responsibilities and reduce anxiety instances (Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, 2009). Some Korean schools have begun to offer location monitoring services to help parents identify the location of their children via the cell phone.

Apart from communicating with family members, adolescents use cell phones to regularly contact their peers for chat, gossip and share stories (Kolb, 2006). When used this way, cell phones act as effective tools of improving and maintaining social relationships.

Through research, cell phone use has been linked to various factors. Previous studies have focused on factors such as sex, age and self esteem with mobile phone use (Zulkefly & Baharudin, 2009). There is little research evidence that shows the relationship between cell phone uses by the younger generations and the age of the parents, education and family income.

Male cell phone users are typically attracted by the technical applications and features such as games and MP3 player or video player while females basically use mobile phones for socializing (Zulkefly & Baharudin, 2009).

Studies carried out since 2001 have established that young adult males spent more time on mobile phones as compared to girls (Kawasaki, Tanei, Ogata, Burapadaja, & Loetkham, 2006). This trend often begins in the late adolescent stage then peaks in the 20s. The high level use may extend to 30s after which it begins to drop significantly (Thaden, 2009).

Researchers have also established that young mobile phone users usually spent appropriate amounts of money on prepaid services. Studies conducted in Europe showed that many of high school students used about 25 Euros a month on mobile phone credit (Wilknson, 2006).

Effects of cell phone Usage

Different studies have shown that younger mobile users are more likely to be addicted therefore they score high on Problem Mobile Phone Use Scale (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009). Adolescents have been found to spend more time with mobile phones for social and emotional communication purposes.

Some studies have shown that a significant number of high school students in the US play video games on their cell phones laptops during class time (Hakoama & Hakoyama, 2011). However, it’s not clear if this affects academic performance.

Studies carried out to identify the level of self esteem in relation to mobile phone use among adolescents has shown that those with low self esteem use mobile phones more than those with high self esteem (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009).

Individuals with low self esteem use mobile phones more frequently so as to get reassurance from other people. Some studies have used low self esteem to predict problems associated with mobile phone use.

It has been shown that certain problems may arise due to intense use of the mobile phone device for communication purpose. Studies conducted in different countries such as Thailand, Korea and Norway have established that students who involved themselves with intense mobile use were likely to suffer from psychological disturbances (Hakoama & Hakoyama, 2011).

A study carried out on 595 Korean students established that excessive use of mobile phone among students led to depression, higher interpersonal anxiety and lower self esteem (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009). There are no studies that link these findings to the student’s academic performance.

Use of cell phones by high school students also endangers their lives by making them to be suitable targets for robbers and muggers. Several robbery instances have reportedly involved the taking of a mobile phone. Many youths have reportedly died as a result of being knifed by muggers. Additionally, cell phones are also thought to increase bullying instances among adolescents (Zulkefly & Baharudin, 2009).

In other studies, cell phones have been reported to cause considerable disruption of class activities. A Virginia high school reported that a student ordered for pizza during class time and did not see anything wrong with that (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009).

Other students have involved themselves in queer behaviors such as calling the principal’s home for more than six times in the middle of the night (Campbell, 2007).

Studies carried out by psychologists have reported the ability of mobile phones to affect sleeping patterns among students, especially in addictive cases. Affected students are found to engage in excessive text messaging and often feel anxious when they do not receive replies. This usually takes place at night when they are supposed to be sleeping.

Some scholars have compared internet use to pathological gambling as forms of behavioral addiction (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009). Excessive use of cell phones may also be categorized as an addictive disorder.

Cell phone ownership among students has been the subject of various ongoing researches, arguments and counter arguments. Some scholars have felt that students should be provided with cell phones so that they can use them in crisis situations (Kolb, 2006).

Studies have also shown that students who lack phones may experience a negative feeling of being isolated. Other scholars have rejected phone ownership among students stating that they do not contribute to learning activities (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009).

Several researches have shown that cell phones can be useful gadgets for learning purposes. Internet supported mobile phones may be used to find definitions or reference data on the web.

Mobile phones can also be used by students to connect with teachers and other students and help them deal with class attendance issues, rearrange meetings, retrieve assignment data, discuss assignments, coordinate study groups and seek academic help from teachers and other students (Hakoama & Hakoyama, 2011).

Conclusion And Recommendations

Conclusions

Just as seen in other studies carried out in various countries, this study will confirm that the use of mobile phone is widespread among male students attending Al Ittihad School.

The study is expected to reveal that male students at the Al Ittihad School use their phones a bit reasonably and appropriately for sending text messages, calling and networking. The most applied functions of the mobile phone are likely to be SMS, social networking then voice calls. These findings should be consistent with those of studies carried out in other countries, especially in Asia.

High school students are typically expected to prefer SMS to calls due to the fact that SMS are cheaper and majority of them have limited financial resources. This makes SMS to be the preferred mode of communication (Wilknson, 2006).

Given the fact that majority of high school students are adolescents, they may be attracted to mobile phones due to features such as MMS, MP3 and video players and internet networking applications such as facebook and twitter (Kawasaki, Tanei, Ogata, Burapadaja, & Loetkham, 2006).

Previous research findings have shown that boys are more interested in the technological features of a phone as compared to girls. This study may also establish that male students at the Al Ittihad National School use mobile phones partly due to their advanced technological features which they may find fascinating. Personal and family factors may also contribute to the usage of phones by high school students.

The study may reveal that students use their phones more to contact their peers rather than parents and/or teachers (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009). Students in the adolescent category are generally unstable as they are transforming from children to adults. Mobile phone usage may be linked to levels of self esteem.

Students with low self esteem are likely to be addicted to the mobile phone and thus present with various psychological disturbances. Cases of low or high self esteem are come individually and cannot be generalized on a group. In this study, some cases of low self esteem may be established together with the associated problematic mobile phone use.

Students with a low self esteem will desire to seek reassurance from other people on regular basis and thus are likely to use their cell phones more (Kawasaki, Tanei, Ogata, Burapadaja, & Loetkham, 2006).

Students who end up using their phones more than others are likely to progress into intense cell phone users. The current study is likely to establish that most male students at the Al Ittihad School get fascinated by features on their mobile phones and thus are likely to be more attracted and addicted to their cell phones (Zulkefly & Baharudin, 2009).

This may lead to behaviors associated with problematic cell phone behavior. Further studies into this area may reveal how self esteem and the frequency of mobile phone use can lead to change in social behaviors.

By determining the effect of mobile phone usage among male students at the Al Ittihad School, one is likely to verify that intense use of mobile phones by students can lead to psychological problems (Campbell, 2007).

Students who show with problematic cell phone use may have conditions such as anxiety, depression, or even lack of sleep, which is likely to affect their overall psychological functioning (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009).

The results of this study, if carried out, may concur with the findings of other studies which associate addictive cell phone usage with disorders such as lack of adequate sleep, which may impact a student’s psychological health.

Findings of this such as study may as well reveal the advantages associated with cell phone use.

For instance, they can enhance learning in various ways; cell phones can be used to surf the web and help students to identify important references or definitions, they also form an important link between them and their teachers or other students and this can help increase class attendance issues, scheduling of meetings, retrieving of assignment data and assisting coordination in study groups (Lie, 2004).

The study may also establish some bad habits that may be associated with mobile phone use. Students can involve themselves in exam cheating by communicating with each other while doing tests or use web sources to help answer questions. The study may also reveal that phones cause significant disruption to class activities where some students may pick their phones or make calls during class time (Hakoama & Hakoyama, 2011).

It’s also important to note that though not many teenagers have access to cars, mobile phones can be a leading cause of death if they are used while driving. Such a finding may be outside the scope of this study due to the limited sample size but it has been observed to occur elsewhere.

Recommendations

Previous researches have compared internet usage with pathological gambling due to the common effect impacted on the user. Current mobile phone devices are loaded with sophisticated features with the ability to carry out several different applications.

This implies that they are more likely to create addictive behavior in the young users. Studies should be formulated to establish the chances of addiction that are associated with more sophisticated devices that are considered to be classy by the youth.

If this study is carried out, the results can reveal that high school students frequently use their devices to watch videos and network on social sites during class time. In this regard a further study will be required to identify the extent to which performance is affected by such activities.

Further research may reveal many other causal factors that exist within the student’s environment that can positively or negatively impact their cell phone behaviors (Moore, Kirchner, Drotar, Johnson, Rosen, & Redline, 2009).

In addition, the specific outcomes of intense mobile phone use can also be explored with the aim of identifying the particular symptoms that may be associated with excessive use of mobile phones among high school students.

Some other studies have shown that mobile phones may affect attention spans, critical thinking skills and respect for learning and teachers (Kawasaki, Tanei, Ogata, Burapadaja, & Loetkham, 2006). These findings have not been verified thus more intense studies should be se up to ascertain the extent to which such effects may affect learning and student performance.

Adequate policies should be formulated to guide the use of cell phones by students. As things are now, authorities lag behind parental and student resistance in regard to the use of mobile phones (Kolb, 2006).

Parents are increasing viewing mobile phones as a lifeline for their children but this should not be allowed to transform into an entitlement thus far research should be done to identify any agreeable solution to this problem (Hakoama & Hakoyama, 2011).

References

Campbell, S. (2007). A cross-cultural comparison of perceptions and uses of mobile telephony. New Media and Society , (9):343-363.

Hakoama, M., & Hakoyama, S. (2011). The Impact of Cell Phone Use on Social Networking and Development Among College Students. The American Association of Behavioral and Social Sciences journal , 1-15.

Kawasaki, N., Tanei, S., Ogata, S., Burapadaja, F., & Loetkham, S. (2006). Survey on Cellular Phone usage by Students in Thailand. Journal of Physiological Anthropology , 25:377-382.

Kolb, L. (2006). From toy to tool: Audioblogging with cell phones. Learning & Leading with Technology , 34(3): 16-20.

Lie, E. (2004). Shaping the Future Mobile Information Society: The Case of the Kingdom of Norway. London: International Telecommunication Union Workshop on Shaping the Future Mobile.

Moore, M., Kirchner, H., Drotar, D., Johnson, D., Rosen, C., & Redline, S. (2009). Relationships among Sleepiness, Sleep Time, and Psychological Functioning in Adolescents. J Pediatr Psychol , 2:567-579.

Telecommunications Regulatory Authority. (2009). UAE ICT SURVEY: Acess and Use of Information and Communications Technology in the UAE. Abu Dhabi: TRA.

Thaden, B. (2009). Student Reflective Perceptions of High School Educational Cell Phone Technology Usage. The Journal of Technology Studies , 11-16.

Wilknson, R. (2006). The role of parental and peer attchment in the pyschological health and self-esteem of students. Journal of Youth and Adolescence , 33(6):479.

Zulkefly, S., & Baharudin, R. (2009). Mobile Phone use Amongst Students in Malaysia: Its correlates and Relationship to Psychological Health. European Journal of Scientific Research , 2:206-218.