Analysis of the Role Cell Phone Plays in Interpersonal and Social Interactions of the Youth

Mobile phone has effects on interpersonal interactions and social communication. Along with the expansion of use of mobile phone in societies, its impacts on various aspects of social life are emerging one after the other and this influence has a growing trend. One of the applications of cell phones in societies today is creation of interaction and interpersonal communication. This research intends to identify the role of mobile phone in interpersonal interactions and social communication and come to a suitable conceptual model for the use of mobile phone audience to establish social communication and interpersonal interaction among university students in Tehran. Considering the subject of this applied research, it is a survey research. The statistical population of the research includes all Tehran students between 18 and 25 years of age in the Iranian year 1391 (March 21, 2012- March 20, 2013). The sample size was determined 340 persons based on MORGAN Table. From among state universities, Islamic Azad University, Payam Nour University and University of Applied Science and Technology, 90 sample students (45 boy students, 45 girl students) were chosen for each university using cluster sampling method. Data collection tool was questionnaire which comprised the three sections of mobile phone questionnaire (α=0/72), interpersonal questionnaire (α=0/79), social communication questionnaire (α=0/81/0) as well as the section related to collection of demographic information. This research indicates that a changing process is taking place in institutionalization of mobile phone in its socialization trend in personal life of users.