Social Networks and the Use of Mobile Phones IN NEW ZEALAND, GERMANY, AND THE UNITED STATES Stephanie Broege <stephanie.broege@otago.ac.nz> Department of Film, Media & Communication, U of Otago INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COMPUTER MEDIATED SOCIAL NETWORKING, ICCMSN 2008

 NZ – mobile subscriber growth 11 % 16 % 17 % 8 % 12 % 3 % 2 % Source: 2008 New Zealand - Mobile & Broadband Overview & Analysis Report http://www.chinaccm.com 2007-12-12 12:19

 overview Perpetual contact Permanent availability How about going without a phone for 48h? Nomophobia & disconnect anxiety We suffer without communication

Perpetual contact

Permanent availability

How about going without a phone for 48h?

Nomophobia & disconnect anxiety

We suffer without communication

 overview 2 Exploiting the (memory) space Social success linked to phone book entries Increased selectivity in choosing friends Maintaining large networks increases social support from members. “ (mobile phone users) choose the person who most closely satisfies their preference at any given moment.” (Puro, 2002:124)

Exploiting the (memory) space

Social success linked to phone book entries

Increased selectivity in choosing friends

Maintaining large networks increases social support from members.

“ (mobile phone users) choose the person who most closely satisfies their preference at any given moment.” (Puro, 2002:124)

 the research project 2006

 multi-method comparative approach Comparative Multi-Method Quantitative Mobile MediaSurvey Online and Offline New Media Survey Qualitative Focusgroup Interviews Person-Person Interv/s Qualitative & Quant. Mobile Social Networks New Zealand Quantitative Qualitative USA Quantitative Germany Quantitative Qualitative

Quantitative

Mobile MediaSurvey Online and Offline

New Media Survey

Qualitative

Focusgroup Interviews

Person-Person Interv/s

Qualitative & Quant.

Mobile Social Networks

New Zealand

Quantitative

Qualitative

USA

Quantitative

Germany

Quantitative

Qualitative

 sample 2006 Q uantitative data: P&P survey, N=418 students in New Zealand, the US, and Germany Qualitative data: collected from 4 focus group interviews (N=33), mobile network exercise (N=16) Age: Ø 22 years (min=18, max=28)

Q uantitative data: P&P survey, N=418 students in New Zealand, the US, and Germany

Qualitative data: collected from 4 focus group interviews (N=33), mobile network exercise (N=16)

Age: Ø 22 years (min=18, max=28)

   dimensions of findings Preferred medium to communicate Text Messaging Attitude towards text messaging Gender-specific social networking

Preferred medium to communicate

Text Messaging

Attitude towards text messaging

Gender-specific social networking

 medium for contacting friends (in %)

 text messaging I believe it may be rather hard to be a student at Otago today without a cell phone as most social relationships are maintained via cell phones not only with friends but also for group work and last minute changes to meeting times and places. (Claudine, University of Otago) “ ”

 text messaging

Ø attitude towards cell phone use

 number of cell phone contacts 17% 19% 21% 18% 20% 15% GER USA NZ

   network exercise Part 2: Social Network Drawing Part 1: Characteristics of Phone Book Entry

Connection to family and friend network Text preferred Landline & Email use in addition to MP Active versus passiv ties Location of network Network structure  mobile social relationships

Connection to family and friend network

Text preferred

Landline & Email use in addition to MP

Active versus passiv ties

Location of network

Network structure

   example of female social network

   example of female social network

   example of male social network

     conclusions I just text people random stuff, if I am bored. Just say something really weird, which has no relevance to anything. Just ‘cause it doesn’t really cost you anything, well it does but you got about 500 [text messages] or so . (Female Student, Otago) “ ”

THNQ ;-) 4 ur attn [email_address]