Smartphone addiction test: can you put down your mobile?
Ofcom study finds that one in five British adults spends longer online each week than the average time spent at work
The average Briton is on their smartphone for around 24 hours each week and checks it every 12 minutes, according to a study by Ofcom.
The telecommunications watchdog’s newly published report says that one in five adults in the UK spends as many as 40 hours per week on the phone - “revealing the extent to which people now rely on the internet”, says The Guardian.
Two in five British adults – rising to 65% of those aged under 35 – look at their phone within five minutes of waking up, surveys reveal. And a third said they kept checking their phone up until the moment they went to sleep, a figure which increased to 60% for the under-35s.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Four in five adults now own a smartphone, and they have overtaken television sets as the device people “cannot live without”, The Times reports.
“Over the last decade, people’s lives have been transformed by the rise of the smartphone, together with better access to the internet and new services,” said Ofcom’s director of market intelligence, Ian Macrae. “Whether it is working flexibly, keeping up with current affairs or shopping online, we can do more on the move than ever before.
“But while people appreciate their smartphone as their constant companion, some are finding themselves feeling overloaded when online, or frustrated when they’re not.”
Researchers at Iowa State University has devised a questionnaire to check for “nomophobia” - a fear of being without a phone. To find out if you suffer from this very modern affliction, respond to the following statements on a scale of one (strongly disagree) to seven (strongly agree).
Add up your score as you go and then check the scoring system beneath the test.
If had my smartphone with me:
1. I would feel uncomfortable without constant access to information through my smartphone.2. I would be annoyed if I could not look information up on my smartphone when I wanted to do so.3. Being unable to get the news (e.g. happenings, weather, etc) on my smartphone would make me nervous.4. I would be annoyed if I could not use my smartphone and/or its capabilities when I wanted to do so.5. Running out of battery in my smartphone would scare me.6. If I were to run out of credits or hit my monthly data limit, I would panic.7. If I did not have a data signal or could not connect to Wi-Fi, I would constantly check to see if I had a signal or could find a Wi-Fi network.8. If I could not use my smartphone, I would be afraid of getting stranded somewhere.9. If I could not check my smartphone for a while, I would feel a desire to check it.
If I did not have my smartphone with me:
1. I would feel anxious because I could not instantly communicate with my family and/or friends.2. I would be worried because my family and/or friends could not reach me.3. I would feel nervous because I would not be able to receive text messages and calls.4. I would be anxious because I could not keep in touch with my family and/or friends.5. I would be nervous because I could not know if someone had tried to get a hold of me.6. I would feel anxious because my constant connection to my family and friends would be broken.7. I would be nervous because I would be disconnected from my online identity.8. I would be uncomfortable because I could not stay up-to-date with social media and online networks.9. I would feel awkward because I could not check my notifications for updates from my connections and online networks.10. I would feel anxious because I could not check my email messages.11. I would feel weird because I would not know what to do.
Tally up your score and check how strong your nomophobia is with the scores below:
20 or less: Absent21 to less than 60: Mild60 to less than 100: Moderate100 to 140: Severe
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Why Bhutan hopes tourists will put a smile back on its face
Under The Radar The 'kingdom of happiness' is facing economic problems and unprecedented emigration
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
7 beautiful towns to visit in Switzerland during the holidays
The Week Recommends Find bliss in these charming Swiss locales that blend the traditional with the modern
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Werewolf bill
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
Five of the best flip smartphones
The Week Recommends The most compact and versatile flip phones available, with prices ranging from £819 to £1,649
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sport on TV guide: Christmas 2022 and New Year listings
Speed Read Enjoy a feast of sporting action with football, darts, rugby union, racing, NFL and NBA
By Mike Starling Published
-
House of the Dragon: what to expect from the Game of Thrones prequel
Speed Read Ten-part series, set 200 years before GoT, will show the incestuous decline of Targaryen
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
One in 20 young Americans identify as trans or non-binary
Speed Read New research suggests that 44% of US adults know someone who is transgender
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Turner Prize 2022: a ‘vintage’ shortlist?
Speed Read All four artists look towards ‘growth, revival and reinvention’ in their work
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
What’s on TV this Christmas? The best holiday television
Speed Read From films and documentaries to musicals for all the family
By The Week Staff Published
-
Coco vision: up close to Chanel opticals
Speed Read Parisian luxury house adds opticals to digital offering
By The Week Staff Published
-
Abba returns: how the Swedish supergroup and their ‘Abba-tars’ are taking a chance on a reunion
Speed Read From next May, digital avatars of the foursome will be performing concerts in east London
By The Week Staff Published