Measuring smartphone usage and task switching with log tracking and self-reports
Abstract
Smartphones offer multimedia convergence in a single device, ubiquitous access to media, and constant connections with others. The rapid rise of smartphone use calls for more scholarly attention paid to users’ media usage and time expenditure. This study aims to (a) understand smartphone usage patterns by examining time spent using smartphones and task switching between mobile applications (apps), and (b) test the validity of self-reported measures of these behaviors by comparing self-reports with log data from the smartphone. Data were collected from 50 participants over 1 week. Results show that on average participants spent 2 hours 39 minutes on their smartphone and made 101 app switches per day. Among other findings, social networking was the most used app category, age was a significant demographic factor, and participants, especially heavy smartphone users, overestimated their mobile app usage. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
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The survey did not deploy open-ended questions concerning usage duration because of evidence that users often overestimate their screen time.
“In light of evidence suggesting a discrepancy between objective and self-reported usage time—where users often overestimate their screen time [45]—the survey did not deploy open-ended questions concerning usage duration.”
From Social media addiction: associations with attachment style, mental distress, and personality (2024) · cites this paper as [45]
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References 40 · Cited by 201
- Authors
- Deng, T., Kanthawala, S., Meng, J., Peng, W., Kononova, A., Hao, Q., Zhang, Q., & David, P.
- Affiliations
- Michigan State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Deng, Tao
- Venue
- Mobile Media & Communication
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2018-04-25
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 3-23
- ISSN
- 2050-1579 (ISSN-L)
- 2050-1587
- OpenAlex
- W2800019446
- Cited by
- 201
- References
- 40
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 42 · 2023: 33 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 35 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 12
- FWCI
- 25.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Mobile Media & Communication (publishedVersion, public-domain)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Information Systems and Management › Personal Information Management and User Behavior
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Networks and Communications › Media and Digital Communication
- Keywords
- smartphone use, task switching, smartphone usage time, self-report validity, social networking apps, age differences
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