A Case Study in Smartphone Usage and Gratification in the Age of Narcissism

This research tracked the daily smartphone usage and checking habits of 43 undergraduate students at a mid-sized university for a minimum of thirty days to examine the primary uses of smartphones as well as the gratifications received from their usage. Empirical data was correlated with narcissism levels to better understand what drives a person to access media, often involuntarily. Results indicated significant differences between genders for device usage (how smartphones are used), the resulting gratifications (why smartphones are used), and narcissism. Findings showed an inverse relationship between smartphone usage and narcissism, and between usage and GPA. There also was a positive relationship between a user's smartphone checking habits and exhibitionism. These results are explained further through the lens of modern society's dependence on personal technologies and the gratifications that are satisfied.