Advisory Committee Chair
Shelia R Cotten
Advisory Committee Members
Patricia Drentea
Patricia Sawyer
Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
2013
Degree Name by School
Master of Arts (MA) College of Arts and Sciences
Abstract
ABSTRACT Mobile phones have become integral to the way people communicate. Although mobile phone ownership is nearing saturation in the United States, use patterns differ among age cohorts. Another difference is the degree to which members of different age cohorts depend on their mobile phones. I explore emotional attachment to mobile phones and how it differs by age cohorts. Using data from a national survey of U.S. adults, I examine whether cohorts differ in attachment to their mobile phones, even when controlling for diversity of technology use. The results illustrate that there are important differences in attachment to mobile phones according to age cohort, even after controlling for diversity of technology use. In addition, diversity of technology use has independent and some mediating effects on mobile phone attachment. The results of this study suggest that Millennials are not the most attached to their mobile phones. Diversity of technology use experience appears to be more important for determining attachment to mobile phones than age cohorts.
Recommended Citation
Warr, Amanda, "Age Cohorts and Emotional Attachment to Mobile Phones" (2013). All ETDs from UAB. 3268.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/3268