whereRU: Aresty Poster 214 - Study about the Effects of MP3 Use on Social Interaction by Aresty Posters 2009

Tuning into Tuning Out: A Study about the Effects of MP3 Use on Social Interaction
By: Rannie Teodoro, Class of 2009
Advisor: Dr. Itzhak Yanovitzky

This study examined college students' use of MP3 players and its relationship to their patterns of social interactions. MP3 players, such as the Apple iPod, with its earphone attachments are becoming increasingly popular on college campuses. Ferguson, Greer, and Reardon (2007) cite a study which reported more than half of the respondents in a national random sample own some type of MP3 player. College students can be observed listening to these music devices in several places including the bus, the gym, and even the library, adding an aural element that can alter the experience of their immediate environment not originally there. By adding this sound or music element into their environment, individuals can shut out sound and become isolated and detached listeners (Beer, 2007). Considering this possibility, it was important to explore whether or not individuals participate in this behavior, and if so, are conscious of this phenomenon.

The primary objectives of this study included the following:
1.To describe college students' uses and motivations (intrinsic and extrinsic) to use MP3 players, specifically as they relate to social interactions.
2.To identify personality, social and situational factors that can explain similarities and differences in college students motivations to use MP3 players, including in the context of social interactions.

The study's methodology involved the recruitment of Rutgers University undergraduate students attending two large communication classes (N=600) to complete a short anonymous survey about the topic in exchange for extra course credit and provided they signed a consent form. The results suggest that these students' patterns of MP3 use in social settings are more strongly governed by perceived social norms than by intrinsic motivations and personal preferences.

For more information: Email rannie.teodoro@gmail.com