Quantitative Information
Total Interactions: 42
Total Mins/Hours: 311 minutes = 5.18 hours
Textual Interactions: 11 Social Interactions: 8 Both: 23
Breakdown of Textual Interactions:
- Game App: Cookie Jam: 3
- Clock App: 5
- Time: 3
Breakdown of Social Interactions
- Social Media App: Instagram: 2 Snapchat: 1
- Phone Services: Call: 3 Voicemail: 2
Breakdown of Interactions that were Social & Textual:
- Social Media App: Snapchat: 2 Twitter: 2 Facebook: 2
- Texting: 13
- Email App: 3
- Safari: News: 2
- Music: 1
Categories of Circumstances:
Walking Sitting Standing Laying Eating
9 19 2 6 4
Alone With Others
19 23
Images of Phone Interactions Diary
Day 1 of Phone Interactivity
Day 2 of Phone Interactivity
Day 3 of Phone Interactivity
Phone Interaction Implications
Notebooks and Pens and Phones, OH MY!
The first challenge that I encountered with this assignment is remembering that every single time I pick up my phone, I also had to pick up a notebook and pen as well. Typically, I would be using my phone, a technological device, to do something that I would rather not do with a non-technological device, such as the pen or notebook. Things that I thought could be done quicker on my phone ended up taking a substantially longer time since I had to search for these other items each time, fill in each column of my notebook, and even do some reflection to understand the circumstance in which I was interacting with my phone.
Having limited power over my actions was extremely frustrating. Sometimes I was not able to find the pen I needed at the exact time I wanted to use my phone and I had to stop what I was doing and look for it. I would rather have stored the information in my “Notes” app on my phone rather than writing it down each time. I suppose, however that that would have been counterproductive, but more complimentary to my lifestyle.
I would like to think that I did not change my normal interactions because of this assignment, but I did feel slightly less inclined to carry around my phone. Based on the data in my notebook, I realize that I did not record as many texting conversations as I normally have. This was probably because I spent more time on my computer simply so I would not have to record as much data. My phone interaction also varies a great deal depending on the circumstances of the day. In college, some days are much busier than others. With less time for social media and unnecessary interactions, I would have a lower total spread out over a longer period of time.
The Communication “Master”
This assignment opened my eyes to the various ways that I am able to interact with my phone both in a positive and negative way. On the positive side, I realize the fast-paced communication I am grateful to have in times of need. As I was recording my data, there was an emergency on campus that required me to be able to get in contact with multiple family members and my RA all at the same time. It made me realize how important it is to not only have this technology, but also the importance of knowing how to use it in the most effective way.
I was also able to notice the vast amount of social media networking I did over the course of 48 hours. Because of these sites, I am able to expand my communication from friends and family to the rest of the world. By looking through Instagram posts, I can see the world through the eyes of others camera lenses. My family members who refuse to use social media would tell me that 9 social media interactions across 4 different accounts is absolutely ridiculous for the amount of time I was given. I guess I will never be telling them about my 3 Twitter accounts… But in my mind, they are missing out on news, entertainment, personal interactions, and seeing things they may never get to experience themselves. Having these social media accounts has led me into an adventure of expression where I am free to share, explore, and live in a new culture that I am excited to be a part of. My generation is part of a participatory culture and it is easy to miss out on a lot of information if you are unengaged.
The negative consequences of 42 phone interactions is that those are quality moments that I could have been spending in a real-life kind of way. With control, I am able to enjoy my real world and my virtual world together and separately. This is where communications mastery comes into play. If I spend too much time on my phone, every single app that I click on begins to dictate who I am as a person and I lose control. I tend to be very good at being able to know when it is time to put down the phone, but sometimes you cannot help but to play that extra level on Cookie Jam that takes a half hour away from your studies or check up on the news just to make sure that Philadelphia isn’t burning to the ground.
I have discovered that staying connected to the world is very important, but staying connected to myself is even more important. Using technology is great as long as it is done in an efficient way that provides a contribution to the internet and it’s users.
Woman vs. Phone
The relationship that I have with my phone is a very complex, but interesting one. I thought that I would find myself evaluating the amount of usage, but in reality, this assignment was more about the purpose of being able to use technology regularly. The broad picture is that by using my phone, I was engaging in a world of participatory culture that is only available through technological devices. I was able to see the positive implications that my use had on my connection with the rest of the world.
I was able to recognize that I am typically engaging in conversations in my free time. Most of my results were text message conversations when I was sitting on my bed or wasting time between important activities. Most of my phone conversations were with family members as well, so my phone was actually helping me to stay in touch. I am glad to see that I was not really “wasting” a lot of time and allowing my phone to dictate my schedule. Being able to use a phone allowed me to have quick access to communication. I was able to send and receive information extremely quickly and had the ability to share anything with anyone I wanted at any time that i wanted to.
Unfortunately, the problem that I see with the relationship with my phone is that it has the potential to take over the relationship that I have with other people. For instance, these text messaging conversations and phone calls may develop my relationship with the people I talk to as purely digital relationships and that is something that I really do not want to happen. I would rather appreciate the face-to-face conversations where I can really engage with someone rather than speak to them without a visual. Another place where my relationship with my phone could endanger one with an actual person is the 23 times that I was digitally interacting while I was with other people. Wanting to make real life personal connections is where my phone and I agree to disagree.
Interesting Finds
Something that I noticed while recording my data is that my time on social media was very short, however I picked up more information from there than I was able to any other way. When the gun threat struck Philadelphia, I was able to get information from my family, the internet, and social media. It took me a long time to communicate with my mom over text message and phone calls and there was still miscommunication. The internet was not very helpful because I never knew when news stories were going to be posted on which news websites. Social media, however kept me up to date by the minute and I was able to easily search for information by hashtags and on students profiles. I was really happy to be a smartphone carrier that day!
Another great discovery was realizing how digitally literate I had become. I used various social media websites, I checked the news, and I had conversations. Incorporating all of these features that are spread across the internet allowed me to develop skills of understanding how the internet functions and what it is truly capable of. Before creating the phone diary, these were tools that I had never thought about.