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The purpose of this investigation is to discover whether ‘there are many advantages and disadvantages of owning a mobile phone at a young age.’ This will be solved by using a variety of primary and secondary resources which include surveys, videos, articles, and websites to be able to focus on what the appropriate age of being able to own a mobile phone is as mobile phones play a large part in our society today. The study will also explore what type of developments are affected when using a mobile device. Mobile phones have drastically improved the way people socialize, work, amuse, and organize themselves, however, there are disadvantages and advantages to owning a mobile phone that need to be explored.
Phones affect the development of children and young adults in multiple ways, for example, the way they socialize with others. Phones trigger us to be anti-social and lose our patience more easily due to fewer face-to-face conversations. Mobiles cause incorrect spelling and grammar due to autocorrect on the phone. This is happening because social media and texting are our main sources of communication (Voegeli, A., 2014). The emotional development is affected due to children and young adults relying on texting to communicate which can cause them to disconnect from others’ feelings. (Williams, A., 2020).
There are multiple health disadvantages of owning a phone which include brain cancer as phones produce radio frequency energy that depends on the technology of the phone and how close the screen is to the user. Chronic pain from holding the mobile in one position causes inflammation and pain due to the constant use of fingers. Due to hyper-vigilance caused by mobiles, the adrenals in our body are continuously activated and cortisol levels remain high which then increases our blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety (Bhagat, A., 2017). Phones are a distraction for everyone especially children which is a big disadvantage. Students tend to look at their phones at least every hour or even more a day due to checking social media or texting other people which disrupts them as well (The Media Show, 2016). When using the phone at home, people are more likely to ignore their surroundings which causes them to be unobservant and careless of what’s around them. This can become extremely dangerous when walking around your neighborhood, at shops, and even at school. From a survey that was sent out to 40 secondary students and teachers, the main disadvantage was that it became a distraction for all.
Parents know that many disadvantages come with owning a mobile device which has its advantages, however, it’s more about how the child intends to use the device. Phones these days cause people to not know the difference between what’s real and not.
Although owning a mobile phone can have its disadvantages there are also many advantages as well. Mobile phones allow people to communicate with their family members, friends, and co-workers. Results from a survey that was sent out to the teachers, year 11 and 12 students at Norwood Morialta High School prove that the main reason why they had got or were given a phone was to be able to communicate with their family members; to let them know where they are, who with and to see whether they are safe or not.
Parents need to know where their children are at all times so that if an emergency occurs they will know if they are safe and that they can contact them without any issues. Mobile phones not only benefit the young but also the elder as they feel safer knowing they can call a relative, or friend at any time and anywhere. Owning a cell phone can give people several benefits like letting your parents/guardians know you’re safe, finding your destination using a GPS or maps so you don’t get lost (Jones, K., 2020), taking photos or videos to capture a moment when you’re on holiday, at school/home or something important or stood out. Photos and videos can also benefit crime prevention and evidence gathering for when car accidents, injuries or even anti-social behavior occurs. A survey that was conducted shows that 90% feel safer with a mobile phone than without.
Mobile phones can also help with the development of a child, for example, to help with the development of peripheral vision, mobile devices improve children’s capabilities to make quick decisions, multitask, and develop visual alertness. This happens when children play games whether it’s on a phone, computer, or television (Williams, A., 2020). Examples of educational games that can help are Hangman which helps with vocabulary and new words, Math Board which helps with all types of maths and Stack These States which helps all ages learn their states/countries. When playing games, you help expand your cognitive development skills as you’re getting the child to use problem-solving and different strategies especially when there is time pressure which develops decision-making and speed skills.
Additional advantages to owning a mobile are that it’s a source of entertainment such as games, movies, music, radio, reading, or even scrolling through your social media. Mobile phones are an easy and beneficial way for students in primary school, high school, and even university can access assignments, lesson notes, links to websites, homework, and other learning tasks (Goodman, P., 2020). There are multiple values to owning a mobile device like the ones listed above, however, phones are not always for everyone.
In 2009, 31% of children from ages 5 to 14 had their mobile phones, however, older children aged 12 to 14 had much higher which was 76%. Children from single-parent families are more likely to have a phone than children from couple families, regardless of their age (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2010). Results from a survey by Norwood Morialta High School staff and students stated that the average age at which they were able to get their phone was at age 12.
The results from a survey that were provided to students and teachers about what is an appropriate age to own a mobile phone.
These days parents/guardians find it hard to decide whether or not their child should be able to own a mobile phone. In an article titled, ‘How Do Smartphones Affect Childhood Psychology?’ Amy Williams writes, “Over 1.8 billion people own smartphones and use them daily.” This tells us that more people every day get access to a mobile which affects them mentally and physically, especially for young children. It’s proven that 56% of children between 10 to 13 own a mobile device (Williams, A., 2017).
The graph above shows that 13 years old is an appropriate age to be able to own a mobile phone as they are more responsible and have a sense of what is and what isn’t appropriate.
Of course, parents want to stay in touch with their children, however, they should be informed about the possible effects of a mobile phone. The information above can lead parents/guardians to question when they should allow their children to access a mobile phone as it has many responsibilities. Children should be able to get a phone when they’re old enough to understand the risks which are between ages 11 to 14.
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