IPod use and the perception of social introversion

Abstract

The recent proliferation of Apple iPods begs the question: what effect does iPod use have on society and social interaction? An experimental research design was utilised to examine iPod use and degree of extroversion on the perception social interaction. At a small Christian university in the south, 105 college students participated in this study, first completing a personality inventory and then answering questions based on one of two scenarios. The first hypothesis was that participants would view iPod users as less likely to engage in social interaction. The second hypothesis was that extroverted participants would perceive iPod users as less socially engaging than would introverted participants. The results support the hypothesis that people view iPod users as less likely to engage in social interaction than non-iPod users. Participants rated iPod users as less likely to engage in social behaviours such as making eye contact. The results did not support the hypothesis that extroverted participants would view iPod users differently than introverted participants. However, this may merely illustrate that the perception of iPod users is more universal than previously thought and transcends personality characteristics.