Suchergebnisse

Adolescents' characteristic understanding and use of mobile phones have led observers to speak of a "mobile youth culture." This article explores whether we can differentiate lifestyles within mobile youth culture. We construct a user typology of Flemish adolescent mobile phone users based on mobile phone gratifications. Eight gratifications were identified. Using these as segmentation variables, a cluster analysis differentiated a devoted ( N = 204), dependent ( N = 156), pragmatic ( N = 143), and disinterested ( N = 90) mobile lifestyle. These groups differed significantly in demographics and social–psychological characteristics, indicating that youths domesticate mobile phones in their life in response to the problems and opportunities that cross their particular path toward adulthood.

Drawing from a cross-sectional survey ( N = 1000), this study examines (1) the extent to which Belgian adults experience digital well-being (i.e. perceive agency over and functional support from the use of digital media), (2) which digital disconnection strategies they use to limit connectivity, (3) how their use of these strategies relates to their digital well-being, and (4) whether different user groups can be identified in terms of digital well-being experiences. We find evidence for ambivalence in the relationship towards digital media. Popular disconnection strategies involve access restrictions. Those reporting less agency generally disconnect more. Lastly, a typology based on respondents' digital well-being scores reveals four clusters of indifferent, enthusiastic, ambivalent, and sceptical digital media users that differ in demographic, personality and media use/ownership characteristics. Collectively, this study gives insight into how digital well-being and digital disconnection are distributed, lifting the veil over who might be more susceptible to struggling with constant connectivity.