Work

Connecting alone: Smartphone use, quality of social interactions and well-being

Year: 2017

Type: article

Abstract: This paper investigates the role played by the smartphone for the quality of social interactions and subjective well-being. We argue that, due to its intrusiveness, the smartphone reduces the quality of face-to-face interactions and, as a consequence, their positive impact on well-being. We test this hypothesis in a large and representative sample of Italian individuals. The results indicate that time spent with friends is worth less, in terms of life satisfaction, for individuals who use the smartphone. This finding is robust to the use of instrumental variables estimation to deal with possible endogeneity. We also show that, consistent with our hypothesis, the positive association between time spent with friends and satisfaction with friends is less strong for individuals who use the smartphone.

Source: Journal of Economic Psychology

DOI: 10.1016/j.joep.2017.09.001

Authors: Valentina Rotondi, Luca Stanca, Miriam Tomasuolo

Institutions: University of Milano-Bicocca, Bocconi University, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Language: English

Topic: Impact of Technology on Adolescents

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,710