RESEARCH ON IMPACT OF CELL PHONES ON YOUTH

ABSTRACT The adoption of the mobile phone by young people has been a global phenomenon in recent years. It is now an integral part of youngsters’ daily lives and is for the majority, the most popular form of electronic communication. In fact, the mobile phone has turned from a technological tool to a social tool. This paper explores the impact of the mobile phone on youth peer relationships, on family relationships and on the institution. Young people use the mobile phone in positive ways to organize and maintain their social networks. However, there are also negative impacts on young people’s peer relationships. These can include ostracism and cyber bullying. Similarly, the mobile phone has lead to changed dynamics in the family, with issues of safety and surveillance from a parental perspective leading to negotiated changing freedoms for young people. While functional coordination can be beneficial for the family, other problems can arise such as financial difficulties, non-custodial parent access, as well as over reliance on the mobile phone for safety issues and intrusion into young people’s lives. Overall this research would impart insight into the addictive world of technology, and the impacts cell phones have on youth. The data have been analyzed and the results have been discussed