An Analytical Study of Smartphone Addiction among Engineering Students: A Gender Differences

Abstract

With advent of new Smartphone technologies and the widespread utilization of touch screen mobile phones made humans embrace technology more and depend on it extensively and compulsively in their lives. Due to the new communication technologies and Smart phones the world is becoming a trajectory place where man is not relying on man for its needs but depending more on Smartphone apps which is replacing multivariate structure of human behavior where Smartphone Apps are transforming its functional role as a Guru, Mentor, Family physician, shopping consultant and so on. The present study is exploring the impact of Smartphone User Applications (Apps) on the behavior of the engineering students. This study examined Smartphone user behaviors and their relation to Smartphone addiction. A General Behavioral survey guided by a well structured self design questionnaire has been administered across a sample of hundred students. The questionnaire is comprised of Thirty items measuring amount, duration and pattern of usage of various Smartphone apps specifically health apps, entertainment apps, shopping apps, communication apps, and education apps.  Overall test score measuring overall addiction to the Smartphone. A Sample is assigned using random sampling and purposive sampling method. Two groups are divided in fifty male and fifty female across the age ranges from 18- 22 years from various Engineering Colleges to measure gender differences. The test findings showing significant level of difference among the Smartphone addiction across the gender in accordance with usage of various Smartphone apps. The overall trend shows male students are more prone to Smartphone addiction than female.