Reflections of Smartphone Overuse on the Social Behaviour Of Undergraduates During The Pandemic Of COVID-19

Abstract

The advancement in technology and the introduction of smartphones have drastically changed the lives of individuals, especially the youth, in the past few decades. Smartphones today are not only used for communication but for many other fundamental activities and academic tasks. As the capabilities of smartphones continue to grow with each passing day, the prevalence of psychological problems associated with the patterns of smartphone usage also increases. This study explores whether the time we spend on smartphones has any effect on our social interactions, and how these effects vary with gender and field of study. To assess the intensity of smartphone overuse and social anxiousness, the short version of Smartphone-Addiction Scale and Interaction-Anxiousness Scale was used, respectively. Cross cross-sectional survey was used to collect data from 250 undergraduate students (m=125, f=125). Descriptive analysis, Pearson correlation, regression analysis, and t-tests were used to test assumptions. The results revealed that smartphone overuse was significantly and positively correlated to social anxiety. Male participants and the students of social sciences reported higher levels of smartphone overuse, and excessive smartphone usage had a negative influence on the social interactions of young adults.