Abstract
Modern communication technologies have become a very essential part of our lives, especially smartphones (Salehan & Negahban, 2013). Present study explored the effects of fear of separation from the smartphone on university students. The sample comprised of three hundred students of Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan with age range of 18-30 years. The purpose of this present study was to explore the existence of nomophobia among smartphone users. Furthermore, it was aimed to investigate effect of smartphone separation causes anxiety. An experimental research design was used and participants were randomly assigned to two conditions. Two measures were used in the study they included, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) developed by Spielberger, (1983) and nomophobia questionnaire (NMP-Q) developed by Yildirim ( 2015). Results revealed that 68% of the students experienced moderate level of nomophobia and the level of anxiety gradually increased with increase in duration of separation from phone. One- way analysis of variance found significant difference on different levels of anxiety in experimental group I and experimental group II. No significant gender differences were found for state anxiety and nomophobia. It is concluded from the findings of the study that excessive use and dependence on smartphones does cause anxiety and feeling of restlessness in the absence of smartphone.
Highlights
In one study the pattern of mobile phone usage and prevalence of nomophobia were checked and the results indicates that 73 % of students were nomophobics. 21 % of nomophobics experienced anxiety 83% of students experienced panic attacks when their mobile phones were misplaced (Sharma, Sharma, Sharma, & Wavare, 2015)
To investigate the difference of nomophobia and anxiety among mobile phone users when the smartphone was completely taken away comparing with the those mobile phone users whose smartphones were only switched off
The results were presented by using descriptive statistics, by using one way and two way analysis of variance (ANOVA) between and within groups separately for experimental group I and experimental group II
Summary
1. To find the level of nomophobia and anxiety among university students, in response to separation effect when smartphones were completely taken away (Experimental condition I). 2. To find the difference of nomophobia and anxiety among university students, in response to separation effect when smartphones were only switched off (Experimental condition II). 3. To study the effect of increase in time duration of removing or switching off the mobile phones in the above two conditions among university students. 4. To investigate the difference of nomophobia and anxiety among mobile phone users when the smartphone was completely taken away comparing with the those mobile phone users whose smartphones were only switched off. Taking away the mobile phones will cause more anxiety as compared to switching off the mobile phones among mobile phone users
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