Smartphones in Society

Smartphones in Society Introduction Recent progresses in Internet-based smartphones have created changes in the contemporary society. The smartphone has computing applications with advanced features of the Internet connectivity. It also has multimedia player, digital camera, GPS tracking systems, and video camera among other features.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Smartphones in Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Latest smartphones have high-resolution touch screens, browsers, and high-speed Internet accessibility. Smartphones have brought about convenience to users as well as addiction problems, which are similar to those experienced by Internet users (Greenfield, 1999). The fact that smartphones are mobile has aggravated the problem of addiction. Smartphone addiction causes both physical and psychosocial challenges among users. A study by Leslie Perlow about the use of smartphones among 1,600 managers and professionals revealed v arying degrees of usages (Davis, 2012). It showed that: 70 percent checked their smartphones within the first hour after getting up 56 percent checked their smartphones within one hour before going to bed 48 percent checked their gadgets during weekends and nights 51 percent did so during vacation 44 percent would suffer anxiety if they lost their smartphones and failed to replace them within the week (Davis, 2012, p.1) Problems The latest use of the term addiction applies to Internet, gambling, behavioural problems, gaming, and smartphone usages. There are people who use their smartphones while driving or crossing roads, which may result into road accidents. Children show addiction to smartphone games while learners have concentration problems during lectures. Specific problems may include the following. First, smartphone causes users to have daily life balance challenges. Users may find it hard to concentrate, keep appointments, or miss planned schedules. Some may experience blu rred vision, dizziness, wrist pain, and sleeping problems. Second, some scholars have noted that some smartphone users believe that friends from the cyberspace are important than real-life friends. Such people feel lost when they are unable to connect with their cyberspace friends. Third, there is also uncontrolled use of smartphones. Users prefer to use their smartphones for references rather than consult their friends.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Finally, smartphone users who tried to withdraw from smartphone addictions experienced withdrawal challenges. For instance, Kwon and colleagues observed that smartphone users became â€Å"impatient, fretful, and intolerable without their smartphones† (Kwon et al., 2013). Solutions Daily life balance challenges require users to enhance awareness of events in their immediate environments and concentrate on such even ts to increase concentration. Still, reduced usages shall eliminate physical challenges users experienced. Users should engage their real-life through social activities frequently than their cyberspace friends. Uncontrolled use of smartphone requires users to review the need to respond to smartphone alerts, deactivate the alerts, and consult their colleagues rather than the phone because such actions can reduce anxiety. Withdrawal challenges require users to practice gradual withdrawal rather than abrupt in order to reduce cases of anxiety. Evaluation of solutions Enhanced awareness and concentration give users opportunities to restore balance in their daily lives and concentrate on important matters. This solution can be effective if users follow it. Reducing usages is a perfect solution to eliminating physical problems. Engaging real-life friends is effective solution to the belief that cyberspace friends are important than real-life friends. Deactivating alerts and consulting fri ends is effective for reducing uncontrolled usages and anxiety. Gradual withdrawal can be effective way of reducing withdrawal challenges. Conclusion Smartphone addiction is a source of physical and psychosocial problems among users. Solutions to these problems include enhancing concentration, reducing usages, engaging in social activities with real-life friends, consulting colleagues, deactivating alerts and practising gradual withdrawal. No scientific study has proved effectiveness of these solutions. However, they can be highly effective if users practice self-discipline.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Smartphones in Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More References Davis, S. (2012). Addicted to Your Smartphone? Heres What to Do. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/addicted-your-smartphone-what-to-do#1 Greenfield, D. (1999). Virtual Addiction: Help for Netheads, Cyber Freaks and Those Who Love T hem. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications. Kwon, M., Joon-Yeop, L., Wang-Youn, W., Jae-Woo, P., Jung-Ah, M.,Dai-Jin, K. (2013). Development and Validation of a Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS). PLoS One, 8(2), 1-7.