Is The iPhone Clinically Addictive?

[Michael Essany]

The Ivy League brain-trust from Stanford University is trying to tell us something we already know, but with the backing of a formal survey to provide additional credibility. It turns out the iPhone is actually quite "habit forming."

Nearly one-third of the two-hundred Stanford University undergraduates polled for this survey expressed fears that their iPhone is not only addictive, but that they could already be clinically addicted to their beloved smartphone. The survey, in case you're wondering, was conducted by a graduate anthropology class in research methods.

What the folks behind the survey seem to find most disturbing is the way in which many students "personify" their iPhones by either naming it or referring to the device as "my little friend." Consequently, the results of the survey suggest that many people have a dangerously close or addictive relationship with their iPhones.

One of the theories proposed for the growing "obsession" people have with their iPhones is that the mobile device is a way to manage on the go the "internet personality" people cultivate in front of their computer screens. This assumption, naturally, hints at some iPhone users having a split personality - the face they show the world, and the face they show the digital world.

Just how close are the students at Stanford with their iPhones? 75% admitting sleeping with their handset - that is, falling asleep in bed with their device in hand.

[santaf]

i'm addicted i wont lie haha. they tried to make me to go to rehab but i said no no no

[Melech518]

I may be addicted, but I can quit whenever I want...

[santaf]

I may be addicted, but I can quit whenever I want...

aint it the truth haha

[battlecrushr]

u dont know how addicted i am

[screamforme02]

O yes most certainly am. I cant use any other phone for more than a min before i just want to smash it and get my hands on my iphone. i love that little bugger

[Enkidu]

Just how close are the students at Stanford with their iPhones? 75% admitting sleeping with their handset - that is, falling asleep in bed with their device in hand.

Hahaha, I love that fact! Also, the reason why guys might call their iphones their "little friend" might be due to the fact, that it can do so much more than their other "little friend". Lol

[MPS3]

fortunately for me i hate mine and love my blackberry

[plcrules]

im more addicted then all u combine lol

Just how close are the students at Stanford with their iPhones? 75% admitting sleeping with their handset - that is, falling asleep in bed with their device in hand.

im not alone
this should b a group on facebook lol

[jalexis4192]

Awww how sad, i'm not ;(


since i have my MacyBook ^_^

[steve-z17]

"My little friend"???? What the hells bells is wrong with these Stanford students?!? Sure I always like to have mine with me, but to nickname and refer to it...I find that extremely weird!

[wannabprogramma]

I wouldn't be addicted if I wasn't jailbroken.....just sayin' lolz

[sziklassy]

What an incredibly pointless study. Just about anything can be addictive, why would the iphone be anything special?

[se23]

nope sold mine and got n900 im addicted to this forum tho

[rkisling]

phew ... i thought i was the only one to fall asleep with my iPhone .... ;-)

[Zeal]

I sleep with mine next to me. But thats cause its my alarm.

[RaginAsian55]

I think my iPhone is addicted with ME! So there's really nothing I can do to control its behavior... :-D

[metaserph]

As soon as they update to iPhone OS 4 I'm having it surgically interfaced with me 0_O

[SquareWheel]

Bah, this is no different than any other phone or gadget.

[lolcats1]

Bah, this is no different than any other phone or gadget.

then why are you on this site?

as for me, i fall asleep with it just because i'm too lazy to get up at 1:30 in the morning, when i'm done listening to music, and put in with its charger.