Abstract

The present study explored the impact of smartphones on social relations and emotional behaviours of youth. By employing the theoretical framework of uses and gratification by Katz and Blumler (1974), the study employed a survey research design for the collection of data. The data was collected from two hundred students of BZU Multan. The study found that male users were more inclined toward the usage of smartphones than females. The youngsters between the age group of 21-26 were heavy users of smartphones. They mostly use Smartphones for developing their social relationships. The finding showed that usage of smartphones promoted virtual relationships. However, it affected the youngsters' routine lives and regular contact with their family and friends. The respondents decreased their participation in social activities like going out for family functions and religious gatherings. It was also noted that the usage of Smartphones influenced the respondents' emotions. They faced emotional problems such as distress, anxiety, and depression. Excessive use of smartphones increases the likelihood of suicidal tendencies among youngsters.

Key Words

Smartphone Usage, Social Relationships, Virtual Relationships, Emotional Behaviors, Uses, and Gratification

Introduction

The younger generation now uses smartphones as fantastic and essential communication tools (Rather, 2019). Since a few years ago, the use of Smartphones has dramatically expanded. Everybody keeps in contact with it on any given occasion, whether it be in a public space, a place of business, or a family gathering. Without the use of smartphones, it would appear that youth cannot be lived without incident (Cha, 2018). It can do amazing things like sending data and photos in a matter of seconds with just the help of the internet, so the same can spread very quickly over the world (Annamdas, 2017).

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority estimates that there are 70 million broadband, 3G, 4G, and landline internet users in Pakistan. Of those, 67 million are 3G and 4G subscribers, and 100 and 60 million cellular subscribers are already active in Pakistan ("Total broadband users in Pakistan surpass 70 million," 2019) (Yaqub, 2018). According to a 2019 report titled "Active Social Media Users in Pakistan Grow by 5.7 Percent: Report," there are now 4 million more mobile social media users in Pakistan (Farooq, 2019). The prevalence of smartphones and their ownership by "generation Y" has been observed to increase their propensity to utilize "mobile Internet services" in the vicinity of a private network (Gafni, 2013).

Smartphones, which may be used for multiple purposes in addition to making calls on a mobile phone, have become more popular as a result of technical improvements (McGuigan, 2005). The internet, chatting, dating, research, learning, business modelling, studying, and other activities may now be done on these gadgets. Young individuals can now acquire more information before they reach adulthood. These days, teenagers utilize it for dating, entertainment, and gaming (Ahad A. D., 2017). Additionally, there is evidence demonstrating the negative effects of smartphones on academic achievement (Wang, 2014). 

The reliance or addiction to smartphones (Lee, 2016). This study examines how much of an impact Smartphones have, how they are utilized, and the implications they have for young people in Brunei society, which was governed by the Malay, Islamic Monarchy notion (Ahad A. D., 2017). In this study, we find evidence that young people's introduction to freedom from authority figures like parents and instructors, as well as from socio-cultural norms and religious practices, was made possible by smartphones. This study demonstrates the widespread usage of modern mobile phones by Bruneian youth in ways that speak to their interests and could undermine their socio-social traits and rigid beliefs and behaviours (Walsh, 2009).

Young people use their smartphones in specific ways to plan and maintain their social networks. However, there are also negative impacts on the friendships of young people. These may include shunning and cyberbullying (Gunter, 2019). In addition, the advent of the mobile phone has altered family dynamics, with parental concerns about children's safety and observation leading to planned opportunities for them to change (Haddon, 2017). While effective coordination can be beneficial for the family, other issues, including financial difficulties, access to non-custodial parents, excessive reliance on cell phones for health issues, and interference in the lives of young people, can also arise (Campbell, 2005). 

A literature Review

There have been a lot of studies conducted in this context. The researchers discussed the effects of smartphone usage from different perspectives (Bian, 2014). Smartphone addiction was also linked to loneliness and shyness, as those who spent a lot of time on their phones were obliged to limit their face-to-face interactions; people who scored higher on shyness and loneliness were more likely to get hooked on a smartphone. Adolescents' impaired family environments, such as domestic violence, family stress, and substance abuse, such as alcohol or drug abuse, cause disruptions and difficulties in their personalities and daily routines; it has also been shown to be a significant predictor of smartphone addiction in adolescents (Kim, Min, Lee & Yoo, 2018). 

The Yi-Fan Chen study conducted in American schools reveals that students have some good socialization goals when using their cell phones to call both family and friends (Park, 2007). People can easily stay connected to society thanks to cell phone features, for example, text as speech, GPS, and social media websites, especially those with special needs and the elderly (Qiang, 2011). Americans socialize while devoting 2.7 hours of their daily energy to using their phones. Cell phones are used to socialize more frequently than actual dining, taking up twice as much time. Additionally, it will represent more than 33% of each day's rest time (McNally, 2017). 

It has been claimed that emotional intelligence was a protective factor against Smartphone addiction since it was directly associated with the psychological factors of resilience, self-esteem, social skills, and self-control, which protect individuals from acquiring addictive behaviours (Morales Rodr {\'\i}guez, 2020). As a result, low self-esteem, extraversion, and depression all contribute to the development of Smartphone addiction (De-Sola Guti {\'e}rrez, 2016). 

The best communication tool today is the Smartphone. Almost 27% of customers engage in online activity. In the USA, about 10 million people use their Smartphones to access medical and health services (Bastawrous, 2013). Numerous Smartphone applications are available for managing prescriptions, choosing the best course of therapy by comparing possibilities, and managing treatment options (P{\'e}rez-Jover, 2019). In the not too distant future, mobile applications for usage by parents and clinicians will be released to track children's blood glucose levels. The tracking of blood pressure, food, and exercise was also possible using mobile apps. Consequently, Smartphones are essential to the health sector (Brzan, 2016). 

The younger generation loves their Smartphones because they can easily communicate with one another and get what they want whenever they want it. However, it also contributes to health problems in people, including back discomfort, aches, sadness, restlessness, and many more (Brzan, 2016). Smartphone usage should be positive as it can lead to many health problems for people, including back and neck problems, tension, and anxiety (Can, 2019). Many services are available to people simply by clicking on their comfortable smartphones. The ideal thing was using social media sites, as they make it simple for people to contact one another, do business, and learn a lot of things. It also helps with recreational and educational issues, among other things (Tini).

Due to the numerous communication options and practical applications that Smartphones offer, their use has had a significant impact on people's lives (Sarwar, 2013). Smartphones also offer business services- and personality-related ideas (Camponovo, 2005). The prevalence of Smartphones was a major contributor to the breakdown of connections between parents and children as well as the flow of significant social concerns. The security of company information is greatly in danger from these gadgets (Campbell, 2005). Due to excessive use, Smartphones can potentially result in psychological and physical problems. Smartphone radiation has been linked to both brain cancer and the ability of our brain cells to mutate (Rather, 2019). As mobile phone addicts spent a lot of time on their portable phones and had to cut down on face-to-face interactions, it was also believed that cell phone dependence was linked to loneliness and modesty. The likelihood of being dependent on a cell phone increased with bashfulness and depression scores (Bian, 2014).




Theoretical Framework 

For this study, the Uses and Gratification theory was employed as the theoretical framework. This theory provides a helpful insight into the behaviour of people using mass media such as TV, radio, or digital media such as smartphones. Ruggiero (2000) stated that any framework in communication studies was highly dependent on usage and gratification theory. Mcquail (2010) and Severin & Tankard (2000) defined individuals, according to the usage and gratification theory, as active agents of technology and media. They further said that individuals choose technology and the media as per their choices, which satisfy their desires and needs for gratification. They are solely responsible for allowing technology and the media to interpret, interfere, and integrate into their lives.

In terms of the usage of smartphones, some research has been conducted by researchers using the usage and gratification theory as a framework. Grelhesl & Punyanunt-Carter, (2012) research showed that the usage of Smartphones was motivated by the desire of individuals to be socialized and connected to other people. Further findings suggested that entertainment needs, passing spare time, or just avoiding undesirable situations are also motivating individuals to use Smartphones (Chen, Chan & Tsang, 2014; Magsamen-Conrad et al., 2015). Other research added some more insights about motivation. Ku, Chu, and Tseng (2013) found out that information-seeking, organization of time, documents, and information also motivate individuals' usage of Smartphones. On the basis of the previous literature review, the following research questions and hypotheses were formulated for the study. 

Research Questions

1. Did the use of smartphones influence the social relations of youngsters?

2. Did the use of smartphones impact the emotional behaviour of the young?




Hypothesis

1. It was assumed that the use of smartphones increased the social circle of youngsters.

2. It was assumed that the use of smartphones impacted the emotional behaviours of youngsters. 

Method

The researcher adopted a quantitative methodology and collected data through a survey technique. Data was collected from diverse sources and analyzed using mathematical tools and approaches to get precise results. The researcher collected data from 100 male and 100 female students from different departments of Bahauddin Zakariya University. The sample was taken from different age groups to keep the variety in the opinion, which diversifies the research survey.

The researcher preferred to choose a convenient sampling technique due to varying challenges. The researcher has constructed 29 questions focusing on the various aspects of smartphone usage. Those questions were designed in the light of previous studies and literature reviews and were directed towards the objective of the study. The collected data was changed into percentages as per each survey question in the research. For more precision, all the data was re-framed in tabular form and provided a better interpretation of the study overall. Furthermore, the Chi-square test was also implemented to re-test the significance of the results considering the hypothesis of the study. Following the data collection from study participants, a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet was used to code all of the research respondents' responses into the coding sheet. The data were analyzed using the statistical programmed SPSS for Windows, version 10, into percentages for each posed question after the coding sheet had been assembled.

Findings

The analysis of the study presented the facts in the form of tables.

A: Impact of Smartphones on social relations.




 

Table 1. The number of friends on a Smartphone.

	Less than 100.	100-200	200-300	300-400	More than 400	Total
Male	10.5%	13.5%	7.5%	6.5%	12.0%	50.0%
Female	19.0%	10.0%	10.0%	5.0%	6.0%	50.0%
Total	29.5%	23.5%	17.5%	11.5%	18.0%	100.0%

 




Table 1 shows the brief results regarding youngsters' having friends and followers made through a Smartphone. Male followers are made up of 10.5 per cent who are under 100, 13.5 per cent who are between 100 and 200, 7.5 per cent who are between 200 and 300, 6.5 per cent who are between 300 and 400, and 12.0 per cent who are beyond 400. And through smartphones, 19.0 per cent of females gain followers under 100, 10.0 per cent gain followers between 100 and 200, 10.0 per cent gain followers between 200 and 300, 5.0 per cent gain followers between 300 and 400, and 6.0 per cent get followers over 400. The data indicates that the majority of males make between 100 and 200 friends and followers using smartphones, while the majority of females make above 200 friends and followers.




 

Table 2. What time at night do you use your Smartphone?

	Not after dinner.	Not after going to bed.	Till 1-2 hours before sleeping	Keep using it until you sleep	whole night	Total
Male	0.5%	6.0%	18.5%	20.5%	4.5%	50.0%
Female	0.5%	7.5%	21.0%	17.5%	3.5%	50.0%
Total	1.0%	13.5%	39.5%	38.0%	8.0%	100.0%

 




Table 2 displays some preliminary findings about when people use their Smartphones at night. Male Smartphone usage rates are as follows: 0.5 per cent don't use them after dinner, 6 per cent don't use them after going to bed, 18.5 per cent use them for 1-2 hours before bed, 20.5 per cent use them till they fall asleep, and 4.5 per cent use them all night. And only 0.5% of females use their Smartphones after dinner, 7.5% don't use them after going to bed, 21.0% use them up until right before bed, 17.5% use them all night long, and 3.5% use them all day. The findings indicate that most male Smartphone users continue using them until they fall asleep, whereas most female Smartphone users utilize them for 1-2 hours before bed.




 

Table 3. The use of a smartphone changes a young lifestyle positively.

	Agree	Disagree	Neutral	Strongly agree.	I strongly disagree.	Total
Male	18.5%	3.0%	10.0%	14.0%	4.5%	50.0%
Female	23.5%	4.0%	8.5%	11.0%	3.0%	50.0%
Total	42.0%	7.0%	18.5%	25.0%	7.5%	100.0%

 




Table 3 shows that whereas 18.5% of male users agreed with the assertion that using a Smartphone can improve a young person's lifestyle, 3.0% of male users disagreed. 10.0 per cent of male users responded indifferently, 14.0 per cent strongly agreed, and 4.5 per cent strongly disagreed. In addition, consumers agree that Smartphones can favourably alter a young person's lifestyle. However, 4.0 per cent of female users disagreed, 8.5 per cent had no answer, 11.0 per cent strongly disagreed, and 3.0 per cent of female users highly disagreed. The findings indicate that the majority of men and women concur with the idea that using a Smartphone can improve a young person's lifestyle.




 

Table 4. How long do you stay away from smartphones?

	less than 1 hour’s	1-5 hours	5-10 hours	For one day	For one week	Total
Male	10.5%	16.0%	12.0%	6.0%	5.5.%	50.0%
Female	9.0%	19.5%	12.0%	5.5%	4.0%	50.0%
Total	19.5%	35.5%	24.0%	11.5%	9.5%	100.0%

 




Table 4 displays some preliminary findings about how long young people are away from their smartphones. Male Smartphone use was avoided by 10.5 per cent of them for less than an hour, 16.0 per cent for between one and five hours, 12.0 per cent for between five and ten hours, 6.0 per cent for one day, and 5.5 per cent for one week. And among females, 9.0 per cent use their Smartphones for less than an hour, 19.5 per cent for between one and five hours, 12.0 per cent for between five and ten hours, 5.5 per cent for a day, and 4.0 per cent for a week. The findings indicate that both sexes spend between one and five hours away from their smartphones.




 

Table 5. People communicate mostly by using Smartphones.

	family	Friends	Relatives	Colleagues	Others	Total
Male	10.0%	18.5%	11.5%	4.0%	6.0%	50.0%
Female	16.0%	20.0%	7.5%	2.5%	4.0%	50.0%
Total	26.0%	38.5%	19.0%	6.5%	10.0%	100.0%




Table 5 reveals which individuals you communicate with using a Smartphone the most. 10.0 per cent of men communicate with their families, 18.5 per cent with friends, 11.5 per cent with family members, 4.0 per cent with coworkers, and 6.0 per cent men communicate with strangers. Additionally, 16.0% of women connect with their families, 20.0% with their friends, 7.5% with their relatives, 2.5% with their coworkers, and 4.0% with others. Males and females both communicate with friends, the studies indicate.




 

Table 6. Smartphones promote virtual relationships more than real relationships.

	Agree	Disagree	Neutral	Strongly agree	Strongly Disagree	Total
Male	17.0%	8.0%	8.5%	12.5%	4.0%	50.0%
Female	21.5%	10.5%	8.5%	8.0%	1.5%	50.0%
Total	38.5%	18.5%	17.0%	20.5%	5.5%	100.0%

 




Table 6's summary results for Smartphones indicate that they encourage virtual relationships more than real relationships. Smartphones encourage virtual relationships, according to 17.0 per cent of males, 8.0 per cent disagree, 8.5 per cent are neutral, 12.5 per cent strongly agree, and 4.0 per cent disagree. Additionally, 21.5% of females agreed that Smartphones encourage virtual connections rather than actual ones, whereas 10.5% disagree, 8.5 % are neutral, 8.0 % strongly agreed, and 1.5 % of females disagree. The majority of men and women, according to the findings, concur that Smartphones encourage virtual connections more so than actual ones.




 

Table 7. Smartphones provide an opportunity to enlarge your social circle.

	Agree	Disagree	Neutral	Strongly agree	Strongly Disagree	Total
Male	9.5%	15.0%	11.5%	9.0%	5.0%	50.0%
Female	11.0%	17.5%	13.5%	5.0%	3.0%	50.0%
Total	20.5%	32.5%	25.0%	14.0%	8.0%	100.0%

 




Table 7's findings indicate that Smartphones offer the chance to widen one's social network. 9.5% of men concur that Smartphones offer the chance to widen one's social circle. 15.0% highly disagree, 11.5% are indifferent, 9.0% strongly agree, and 5.0% strongly disagree. Females are more evenly divided, with 11.0 per cent agreeing, 17.5 per cent disagreeing, 13.5 per cent indifferent, 5.0 per cent strongly agreeing, and 3.0 per cent strongly disagreeing. The findings indicate that most men and women disagree that Smartphones give them a chance to widen their social circle.




 

Table 8. The use of Smartphones decreases participation in social activities like going to parties/religious gatherings.

	Agree	Disagree	Neutral	Strongly agree	Strongly Disagree	Total
Male	19.5%	5.5%	10.5%	12.0%	2.5%	50.0%
Female	20.0%	8.0%	10.0%	9.5%	2.5%	50.0%
Total	39.5%	13.5%	20.5%	21.5%	5.0%	100.0%

 




Table 8 shows some preliminary findings about how using a Smartphone reduces participation in outdoor activities. According to male respondents, 19.5% of them agree with that statement, 5.5% disagree, 10.5% are neutral, 12.0% strongly agree, and 2.5% strongly disagree. Additionally, among women, there was 20.0 per cent in favour, 8.0 per cent against, 10.0 per cent neutral, 9.5 per cent highly in favour, and 2.5 per cent very opposed. According to the findings, most men and women concur that using a Smartphone makes it harder to participate in

social activities like attending parties or religious gatherings.

B: Impact of smartphones on emotional behaviour




 

Table 9. Feeling depressed when not using a Smartphone.

	Agree	Disagree	Neutral	Strongly agree	Strongly Disagree	Total
Male	16.5%	6.0%	11.0%	13.5%	3.0%	50.0%
Female	23.5%	6.0%	8.5%	8.0%	4.0%	50.0%
Total	40.0%	12.0%	19.5%	21.5%	7.0%	100.0%

 




According to Table 9 shows that approximately 16.5 per cent of male users agreed with the assertion that they experience depression when they aren't using their smartphones, 6.0 per cent disagreed, 11.0 per cent responded neutrally, and 13.5 per cent strongly agreed, and 3.0 per cent strongly disagreed. Furthermore, among female users, 23.5 per cent agreed with the statement, 6.0 per cent objected, 8.5 per cent responded neutrally, 8.0 per cent strongly agreed, and 4.0 per cent strongly disagreed. The findings indicate that the majority of men and women agreed with the assertion that using your Smartphone frequently makes you feel depressed.




 

Table 10. Usage of Smartphones promotes immoral and unethical posting of videos, pictures, and images among youngsters.

	Agree	Disagree	Neutral	Strongly agree	Strongly Disagree	Total
Male	19.5%	4.0%	11.0%	12.0%	3.5%	50.0%
Female	24.0%	5.0%	11.5%	6.0%	3.5%	50.0%
Total	43.5%	9.0%	22.5%	18.0%	7.0%	100.0%

 




Table 10 shows that 19.5 per cent of male users agreed that Smartphones encourage immoral and unethical posting, 4.0 per cent of male users disagreed, 11.0 per cent of males responded indifferently, and 12.0 per cent of male users strongly agreed with claims that Smartphones encourage immoral and unethical videos, while 3.5 per cent of male users strongly disagreed. Additionally, among female users, 24.0 per cent are in agreement, 5.0 per cent disagree, 11.5 per cent offered a neutral reaction, 6.0 per cent are highly in agreement and 3.5 per cent strongly disagree. According to the findings, the majority of male and female users concur with claims that the usage of Smartphones encourages young people to upload immoral and unethical films, pictures, and images online.




 

Table 11. Usage of Smartphone calling, chatting, sharing content linking links and many more was time-consuming.

	Agree	Disagree	Neutral	Strongly agree	Strongly Disagree	Total
Male	18.5%	3.0%	10.0%	14.0%	4.5%	50.0%
Female	23.5%	4.0%	8.5%	11.0%	3.0%	50.0%
Total	42.0%	7.0%	18.5%	25.0%	7.5%	100.0%

 




Table 11 shows that 18.5 per cent of male users agreed with the assertion that Smartphones take up a lot of time, while just 3.0 per cent of users thought otherwise. Smartphones take up a lot of time, according to 14.0 per cent of users who strongly agreed with this statement and 4.5 per cent of users who strongly disagreed. Additionally, among female users, 23.5 % agreed, 4.0 % disagreed, 8.5 % responded neutrally, 11.0 % strongly agreed, and 3.0 % strongly disagreed. According to the findings, the majority of users concur that using a Smartphone for calling, talking, sharing content, linking links, and other activities takes time.




 

Table 12. More usage of Smartphones creates unnecessary information and confusion in young minds.

	Agree	Disagree	Neutral	Strongly agree	Strongly Disagree	Total
Male	21.5%	5.5%	5.5%	15.5%	2.0%	50.0%
Female	25.0%	2.0%	9.0%	12.0%	2.0%	50.0%
Total	46.5%	7.5%	14.5%	27.5%	4.0%	100.0%

 




Table 12 shows that 21.5 per cent of male users agreed that using a Smartphone creates unnecessary information, while 5.5 per cent disagreed and 5.5 per cent gave a neutral response. Table 1.12 also shows that 15.5 per cent of users strongly agreed and 2.0 per cent strongly disagreed with this statement. Also, women, The statement that using a Smartphone confuses children's thinking was agreed upon by 25.0% of users. 2.0% of users were in disagreement. Users responded in three ways: 9.0 per cent were neutral, 12.0 per cent strongly agreed, and 2.0 per cent of female users strongly disagreed. The maximum number of users was determined by the outcome. I concur that using a Smartphone leads to mental confusion and the gathering of pointless information.




 

Table 13. The usage of Smartphones affects our mental behaviour.

	Agree	Disagree	Neutral	Strongly agree	Strongly Disagree	Total
Male	24.6%	2.5%	9.0%	11.1%	2.5%	50.0%
Female	22.6%	4.5%	7.0%	14.1%	2.0%	50.0%
Total	47.2%	7.0%	16.1%	25.1%	4.5%	100.0%

 




Table 13, which provides information about how Smartphone use affects our mental behaviour, shows that 24.6 per cent of males agree and 2.5 per cent disagree about how Smartphones affect our mental behaviour. Of the remaining 9.0 per cent, 9.0 per cent are neutral, 11.1 per cent strongly agree, and 2.5 per cent strongly disagree. Females are more likely than males to believe that Smartphones have an impact on our mental conduct, with 22.6 per cent agreeing, 4.5 per cent disagreeing, 7.0 per cent indifferent, 14.1 per cent strongly agreeing, and 2.0 per cent strongly disagreeing. The findings indicate that the majority of men and women concur that using a Smartphone affects our mental conduct.




 

Table 14. Smartphone are a reason for distress, anxiety, and depression among young people.

	Agree	Disagree	Neutral	Strongly agree	Strongly Disagree	Total
Male	19.6%	8.0%	8.0%	12.6%	2.0%	50.0%
Female	23.1%	2.5%	7.0%	12.1%	5.0%	50.0%
Total	42.7%	10.6%	15.1%	24.6%	7.0%	100.0%

 




Table 14 shows that among young people, Smartphones are a source of anguish, anxiety, and depression. Smartphone use was a contributing factor to depression, according to 19.6% of males, whereas 8% of them disagree, 8% are neutral, 12.6% strongly agree, and 2% strongly disagree. In addition, 23.1 per cent of women agreed, 2.5 per cent disagreed, 7.0 per cent were indifferent, 12.1 per cent strongly agreed, and 5.0 per cent strongly disagreed that Smartphones cause stress and worry. The findings indicate that a majority of men and women believe Smartphones contribute to youth discomfort, anxiety, and depression.




 

Table 15. The usage of Smartphones increases suicidal tendencies among youth.

	Agree	Disagree	Neutral	Strongly agree	Strongly Disagree	Total
Male	20.1%	7.0%	7.5%	13.1%	2.5%	50.0%
Female	19.6%	2.5%	12.1%	13.6%	2.0%	50.0%
Total	39.7%	9.5%	19.6%	26.6%	4.5%	100.0%

 




Table 15's findings indicate that teenage suicidal tendencies rise as a result of Smartphone use. Smartphone use should raise young suicidal inclination, according to 20.1 per cent of males. 7.0 per cent disagree with the assertion, 7.5 per cent are indifferent and either agree or disagree with both, 13.1 per cent strongly agree, and 2.5 per cent strongly disagree. Additionally, 19.6% of women agreed that using a Smartphone increased their propensity to commit suicide, compared to 2.5% who disagreed, 12.1% who were indifferent, 13.6% who strongly disagreed, and 2.0% who severely disagreed. The findings indicate that the majority of men and women concur that teenage suicidal inclination was increased by Smartphone use.




 

Table 16. The youngsters are getting more violent and less patient by using smartphones.

	Agree	Disagree	Neutral	Strongly agree	Strongly Disagree	Total
Male	18.5%	9.0%	9.5%	10.0%	3.0%	50.0%
Female	22.0%	5.0%	13.5%	7.5%	2.0%	50.0%
Total	40.5%	14.0%	23.0%	17.5%	5.0%	100.0%

 




Table 16 shows that youth are becoming more violent and impatient as a result of using Smartphones. Young people are becoming more violent and impatient as a result of using smartphones, according to 18.5 per cent of men. However, 9.0 per cent disagreed, 9.5 per cent were neutral, 10.0 per cent strongly agreed, and 3.0 per cent opposed. Additionally, 22.0 per cent of females agreed that using a Smartphone was making kids more aggressive and impatient. Only 5.0 per cent opposed, 13.5 per cent were indifferent, 7.5 per cent strongly agreed, and 2.0 per cent disagreed. The majority of men and women, according to the findings, concur that youth who use Smartphones are becoming more violent and impatient.




 

Table 17. Smartphones increase frequent change and create fake happiness.

	Agree	Disagree	Neutral	Strongly agree	Strongly Disagree	Total
Male	21.0%	6.5%	7.5%	13.5%	1.5%	50.0%
Female	25.5%	3.5%	8.0%	10.5%	2.5%	50.0%
Total	46.5%	10.0%	15.5%	24.0%	4.0%	100.0%

 




Table 17 provides a summary of the growing frequency of change and phoney happiness caused by Smartphones. Smartphones provide phoney happiness; according to 21.0 per cent of male respondents, 6.5 per cent disagree, 7.5 per cent are neutral, 13.5 per cent strongly agree, and 1.5 per cent strongly disagree. And 25.5 per cent of females agreed that Smartphones increase frequent change and produce phoney happiness, while 3.5 per cent opposed, 8.0 per cent were undecided, and 10.5 per cent strongly agreed. The majority of men and women, according to the findings, believe that Smartphones foster frequent change and artificial happiness.




 

Table 18. Block out disturbing thoughts about life with soothing thoughts of the Smartphone.

	Agree	Disagree	Neutral	Strongly agree	Strongly Disagree	Total
Male	16.0%	5.5%	12.5%	13.5%	2.5%	50.0%
Female	17.5%	10.0%	11.0%	7.5%	4.0%	50.0%
Total	33.5%	15.5%	23.5%	21.0%	6.5%	100.0%

 




According to Table 18, which illustrates how the brief information about you replaces unsettling thoughts about your life with calming ideas about the Smartphone, Males were more likely than females to agree or disagree with the assertion that children filter out troubling thoughts, with 16.0 per cent of men agreeing, 5.5 per cent disagreeing, 12.5 per cent neutral, 13.5 per cent strongly agreeing, and 2.5 per cent disagreeing. Additionally, 17.5% of females agreed to filter out unsettling ideas, 10.0% disagreed, 11.0 % responded neutrally, 7.5% strongly agreed, and 4.0 % strongly opposed. The findings indicate that a majority of males and females agree with the assertion that using their Smartphones to distract themselves from unsettling thoughts about their lives was beneficial.

 

Hypothesis Testing

The following two hypotheses were framed and tested for this study.

 

Hypothesis 1:

Usage of a Smartphone was assumed to be increased the social circle among youngsters.

According to the youth, both males and females strongly agreed that Smartphones help to increase social circles, and the youngsters decreased meetings in-personal. Most young males and females agreed with the statement. Relatives complain to you about the amount of time spent on a Smartphone. Males and females strongly agreed that Smartphones promote virtual relationships more than real relationships. Most young males and females agreed with the statement that their smartphones were the only source providing an opportunity to enlarge their social circle.

 

Hypothesis 2:

The impact of smartphones was assumed to be more influenced by the emotional behaviour of youngsters.

According to the study, Male and females strongly agreed that Smartphones create depression, distress, and anxiety in our minds. Most males strongly agreed that smartphones increased suicidal tendencies. Youngsters were getting more violent and had less patient usage of their smartphones. According to youngsters, males and females agree that Smartphones promote immoral and unethical information. Most youngsters agree that Smartphones are time-consuming devices for calling, chatting, sharing content linking links, and many more.

Discussion

Smartphones have always been popular among youngsters since the very beginning of technology. With time, with more and more innovation and new applications, youngsters have been driven to it more and have started to spend much of their time on it. It would not be contrary to say that today, Smartphones have become an essential part of life for young people. The unavoidable utility and charm of Smartphones is a fact, and we all accept it. But this study was done to find out the effect of using these devices.

It is the talk of the town and sometimes a concern in society that Smartphones may impose a large number of negative effects on youth. Parents show their worries about lessening the attention span of their children and express concern about them distracting from the goals of their life. A large number of adults and parents would agree that Smartphones have quite a negative effect on youth, and most of them would even associate all the problems occurring in society with easy access to Smartphones. While on the other hand, several other groups would point out the necessity of the Smartphone and advocate the positive changes that came with the Smartphones and that life has become much easier than ever before.

Researchers went through the survey methodology to find out the actual effect of Smartphone usage, whether it was more towards positivity or negativity. In this research, the questions framed for the survey were divided into two categories:  emotional and social behaviour, to find the effect of Smartphones on these two aspects of a young person. The research was focused on youth and tried to find the objectives with their opinions. The present research found it encountered several concerning questions related to emotional aspects, such as increasing tendencies of violent, aggressive, and insensitive behaviour among young people, which turned out to be a real problem as the majority agreed with it. They also agreed that the majority that usage of Smartphones creates fake happiness, increases anxiety and depression, affects mental behaviour and also causes a suicidal tendency among youth.

The respondents also agreed that Smartphones make young people cut off from their families, and they get annoyed when parents ask about their time spent on phones.

Some social aspects of youth were also touched on in the research to find out the changes as an effect of the usage of Smartphones. A majority of participants agreed that youth like to use their phones at night till they sleep and prefer sending wishes to their relatives via phones rather than meeting them in person. Overall, it can be concluded that the use of Smartphones made youth catch up with trends quickly and change their lifestyles. They make friends via smartphones, and that helps them increase their virtual social circle, but at the same time, the excessive use of smartphones enhances anxiety and depression among youngsters. 

References

• Ahad, A. D. (2017). Smartphone habits among youth: Uses and gratification theory. International Journal of Cyber Behavior, Psychology and Learning (IJCBPL, 7, 65-75.
• Ahad, A. D., Anshari, M., & Razzaq, A. (2017). Domestication of Smartphones Among Adolescents in Brunei Darussalam. International Journal of Cyber Behavior, Psychology and Learning, 7(4), 26–39.
• Annamdas, V. G. M., Bhalla, S., & Soh, C. K. (2016). Applications of structural health monitoring technology in Asia. Structural Health Monitoring, 16(3), 324–346.
• Bastawrous, A., & Armstrong, M. J. (2013). Mobile health use in low- and high-income countries: an overview of the peer-reviewed literature. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 106(4), 130–142.
• Bian, M., & Leung, L. (2014). Linking Loneliness, Shyness, Smartphone Addiction Symptoms, and Patterns of Smartphone Use to Social Capital. Social Science Computer Review, 33(1), 61–79.
• Brzan, P. P., Rotman, E., Pajnkihar, M., & Klanjsek, P. (2016). Mobile Applications for Control and Self Management of Diabetes: A Systematic Review. Journal of Medical Systems, 40(9), 1–10.
• Campbell, M. (2005). The impact of the mobile phone on young people's social life. In Social change in the 21 century 2005 conference proceedings (pp. 1-14). Queensland University of Technology.
• Camponovo, G. a. (2005). Mobile customer relationship management: an explorative investigation of the Italian consumer market. In International Conference on Mobile Business (ICMB'05) (pp. 42-48). IEEE.
• Can, Y. S., Arnrich, B., & Ersoy, C. (2019). Stress detection in daily life scenarios using smart phones and wearable sensors: A survey. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 92, 103139.
• Cha, S. S., & Seo, B. K. (2018). Smartphone use and smartphone addiction in middle school students in Korea: Prevalence, social networking service, and game use. Health Psychology Open, 5(1), 205510291875504.
• De-Sola Gutiérrez, J., Rodríguez De Fonseca, F., & Rubio, G. (2016). Cell-Phone Addiction: A Review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 7.
• Farooq, M. (2019). Active social media users in Pakistan grow by 5.7\&: Report. Pakistan Today .
• Gafni, R. a. (2013). Generation Y versus generation X: Differences in smartphone adaptation. In Learning in the technological era: Proceedings of the Chais conference on instructional technologies research (pp. 18- 23).
• Gunter, B. (2019). Mobile Phones and Children’s Social Lives. In Children and Mobile Phones: Adoption, Use, Impact, and Control (pp. 59-77). Emerald Publishing Limited.
• Haddon, L. (2017). Domestication and mobile telephony. In Machines that become us (pp. 43-55). Routledge.
• Lee, K. E., Kim, S. H., Ha, T. Y., Yoo, Y. M., Han, J. J., Jung, J. H., & Jang, J. Y. (2016). Dependency on Smartphone Use and its Association with Anxiety in Korea. Public Health Reports, 131(3), 411–419.
• McGuigan, J. (2005). Towards a Sociology of the Mobile Phone. Human Technology: An Interdisciplinary Journal on Humans in ICT Environments, 1(1), 45–57.
• McNally, J. a. (2017). How millennials and teens consume mobile video. In Proceedings of the 2017 ACM International Conference on Interactive Experiences for TV and Online Video (pp. 31-39).
• Morales Rodríguez, F. M., Lozano, J. M. G., Linares Mingorance, P., & Pérez-Mármol, J. M. (2020). Influence of Smartphone Use on Emotional, Cognitive and Educational Dimensions in University Students.Sustainability, 12(16), 6646.
• Park, Y. a. (2007). Acceptance and adoption of the innovative use of Smartphone. Industrial management \& data systems .
• Pérez-Jover, V., Sala-González, M., Guilabert, M., & Mira, J. J. (2019). Mobile Apps for Increasing Treatment Adherence: Systematic Review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 21(6), e12505.
• Qiang, C. Z. (2011). Mobile applications for the health sector. Washington: World Bank, 2.
• Rather, M.-K. a.-A. (2019). Impact of smartphones on young generation. Library philosophy and practice , 1-9.
• Sarwar, M. a. (2013). Impact of Smartphones on society. European journal of scientific research, 98, 216-226.
• Tini, T. a. (n.d.). THE RISK OF SMARTPHONE ADDICTION TO EMOTIONAL MENTAL DISORDERS AMONG JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS UJI SIMILARITY.
• Walsh, J. J., Balint, M. G., Smolira SJ, D. R., Fredericksen, L. K., & Madsen, S. (2009). Predicting individual differences in mindfulness: The role of trait anxiety, attachment anxiety and attentional control. Personality and Individual Differences, 46(2), 94–99.
• Wang, R. a.-Z. (2014). StudentLife: assessing mental health, academic performance and behavioral trends of college students using smartphones. In Proceedings of the 2014 ACM international joint conference on pervasive and ubiquitous computing (pp. 3- 14).
• Yaqub, R. M. (2018). Determinants of customer loyalty in Pakistan's Telecom sector: An exmination of differences between stayers and switchers. Malaysia.