Date of Award

Fall 11-2017

Document Type

Thesis

Primary Advisor

Dr. James Anderson

Second Advisor

Dr. Gordon Miller

Abstract

This paper evaluates the impact that increased cellphone use causes on face-to- face interactions. An introduction to the literature will show the dramatic increase of cell phone ownership across the United States (Anderson, 2015). This dramatic increase can have numerous effects on all persons who own a cellular device. A brief look at the research conducted by different researchers (Hakuno, Omori, Yamamoto, & Minigawa, 2017; Gottman, Gonso, & Rasmussen, 1975; Hay, n.d.; Shneidman & Woodward, 2016), reveals that cell phones can have a negative impact on the users, if used in excessive amounts. The current study uses true experimental design to measure the impact that cell phones have on our face-to-face interactions. 37 students from a Central Florida university participated in the experiment. Each participant came in to the study and interacted with a confederate, either with or without their phone. In the end, the research showed no statistically significant evidence that cell phones caused a decrease in the number of interactions, as well as, the length of time each interaction occurred.

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