Page 22 - TalkTalk

Roger Paire is a specialist researcher
who looks at why young people seem addicted to mobile phones.

One thing Roger Paire cannot stand to listen to is the when you have a few minutes with nothing to do.
old excuse that young people were brought up with
mobile phones and know no different. This is simply Paine also investigated how teenagers manage to
not true. They weren't born with a mobile phone in send so many text messages a day when they are in
their hand! He is steadfast in his belief that young school for so many hours. 'That's easy to explain.
people are no more instinctively adroit at using a Teenagers always try to get round the rules and
mobile phone than any other age group. 'All they're defy teachers, despite the ban on mobile phones in
basically doing is socialising. Add to this peer pressure the classroom; a ban I might add, that's imposed by
to have the latest phone and the know-how to use all adults. It confirmed for me how important texting
the apps on it and you have the main reasons they is to teens, and really it's still passing notes in class,
appear to be more proficient - they use them more but via digital means.
often.
Roger's research also confirmed that teenagers
It's understandable that Paire gets annoyed about make and receive far fewer phone calls than text
this. He was the first to study the effect of mobile messages. Older people are more likely to do the
phones on people, especially the young. He's been opposite, with an actual call being seen as more
known to speak out vociferously against certain personal than a text message.
fictions that have grown up around the use of them.
He's concentrated particularly on clarifying the many Youngsters mainly make or receive calls from their
reasons why the young rely on mobile phones so parents, but texts rule when it comes to contacting
heavily, having taken a much closer look at the their peers. Most young people are constantly
situation than any other researcher. connected to the Internet and Facebook through
their mobile phone. The constant updating of their
His most recent research has been about why friends' status seems to be irritating and
youngsters send so many text messages, especially in unnecessary to many, but for teens it's vital,
the evening, to people they have been with all day. especially as regards their close friends.
'It's not just a case of communicating information,
explains Roger. 'It's more subtle than that. For They also see their mobile phone as a constant
example, six out of ten girls text their female friends, companion, says Roger. 'It's become an extension
just to say 'Hello, whereas line less than half of boys of their body. Meet a teenager and you'll meet their
do the same. Some kids send up to fifty text messages mobile phone! It's sort of glued to them. Most
a day because they see them as functional and teenagers I spoke to sleep with it on their pillow or
efficient. It's the whole convenience of them - they right next to the bed, they eat with it on their lap
sort of fit into those small gaps you have in your day or by the plate, it goes to the bathroom with them
and