Digital Living
The chapter details a study (conducted in the UK), that combined a questionnaire with a time-use diary to assemble a portrait of the activities of "average" people in the current age. The sample size was appreciable, with over 1500 people completing the series of surveys and more than 7000 completing diaries.
Some findings:
- If is difficult to say for certain that the Internet displaces any specific activities - by comparing the behaviors of internet-users and non-users, there is no clear substitution effect between the Internet and any one single activity.
- In general, people with Internet access spent less time eating, watching television or videos, or engaging in hobbies
- There was no evidence that those with access spent less time on the telephone, reading books, listening to radio, or engaging in social activities outside the home
- Youth with mobile phones and internet access engaged in more social activities than those without them. This is largely attributed to the ability to use the phone to coordinate social outings and impromptu gatherings.
- Mobile devices are often regarded as fashion accessories: individuals will change or upgrade their "old" devices for newer ones, even if the older ones are still functional.