Comparison of Smartphone Usage among Australian and Korean University Students

This study compares the usage of smartphones among Australian and Korean university students and examines the impact of addiction on their academic performance. The results show that Korean students have higher smartphone usage and addiction scores compared to Australians.

Report

ABSTRACT
Electronic communication is emotionally distract the academic learning of the
individuals and that is why, most of the students do not invest their time in smartphones. The
main aim of this study to compare the usage of smartphones among Australian and Korean
University's students and examine the addiction that cause direct impact upon their academic
performance. For that, the study uses quantitative research methods which are more reliable as
well as effective and also assist to meet the define aim of a study. Along with this, 120 students
has been selected from Korean University from Kyungnam University, South Korea and 270
Australian university students from Southern Cross University. The results clearly indicate that
estimated smartphones usage per day is significantly higher for Korean students than other and
addiction score is also higher within Korean students than Australians.

Table of Contents
ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................................2
OVERVIEW....................................................................................................................................1
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................1
PREDICTIONS................................................................................................................................2
METHODS......................................................................................................................................2
RESULTS........................................................................................................................................3
DISCUSSION..................................................................................................................................5
.........................................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

OVERVIEW
Advance technology plays an important role in daily life. Such that one of the best ex
ample is Smartphones which now considered an integral part of a life and shape up everyone's
behaviour. In the same way, current study main aim is to compare the usage of Smartphones
while studying in Australian and Korean University.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Advance technology changes the life of every human being and most of them are
completely dependent in such gadgets. David and et.al., (2015) share their views that 79% of the
adults spend 3.5 hours in smartphones or can say that see their phones 80 times in a day. Along
with this secondary research stated that Australians normally check their smartphones within
every 5 minutes after walking, whereas 70% of them use during their mealtime and 50% touches
while sleeping. Therefore, this is clearly reflected that their pattern and how much they are
addicted towards their smartphones. Also, research stated that there is a strong relationship
between high rates of smartphones use and its addiction among the younger people.
Apart from this, this new and advance technology change the living standard and
behavior of individuals and more than 90% of them are completely dependent upon such things.
Along with this Kim and et.al., (2017) emphasized that there is a new psychological phenomena
has arisen due to addiction of such tools i.e. Phubbing. In this people ignores someone who
wants to interact with them due to addiction of mobile usage. This habit affect their entire
working attitude and it is mostly found among Australians. On the other side, Winskel and et.al.,
(2019) present their another views with regards to new psychological phenomena i.e. Phantom
vibration which mostly occurs when person felt or heard their smartphones, but actually they
imagined it only. Again, it is mostly found in Australians, such that 45% of them are going
through such phenomena (Lau, 2017).
There are many countries who takes an ownership of many smart devices which in turn
helps to increases the economics. In this, South Korea and Australia emerges as a top countries
with a highest rates of ownership with 94% and 82%. Therefore, Rosen, Carrier and Cheever
(2013) also supported that most of the students performed the many work at a single time but
unfortunately, human beings are considered imperfect multi-taskers. Like there are many car
accidents noted due to using smartphones while driving and this in turn leads to accidents. Thus,
it is reflected that it is considered one of the most common form of distraction as well. Beside
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this, it is also analyzed that social media has become an almost indispensable part of individuals
especially among University's students who spends their time in social media only. So, it is
analyzed that there is a negative impact upon the academic's performance of the students.
However, when the smartphones are used in non-academic purpose then it somehow
increase the cost for University and leads towards low engagement towards studies. That is why,
excessive dependency upon the smartphones leads to low grade point average among students.
Thus, there is a need to implement the strategies in order to reduce the distraction from social
media, otherwise it will lead to lower down the grades as well.
PREDICTIONS
On the basis of previous researches on the same topic, the following prediction were
made such that:
 The usage of Smartphones among students will be higher in Korean University as
compared to Australian.
 The Smartphones addiction scores will be lower in Australian students than Korean.
 There is a negative relationship between usage of smartphones with academic
performance.
METHODS
The entire study is based upon quantitative study in which positivism research
philosophy has been used by the scholar in order to identify the relationship between
smartphones use and academic performance. Apart from this, both secondary and primary data
collection methods has been selected in order to generate the valid outcomes. Such that under
primary, survey method adopted in which questionnaire is designed that helps to identify the
views of selected respondents pertaining to research topic. On the other side, for secondary
research, different scholarly articles and journals has been selected which in turn assist to meet
the define aim and conduct study in precise manner.
In addition to this, simple random sampling has been used in order to select the sample
size from a large population. For that, 120 Korean University students from Kyungnam
University, South Korea has been selected in which 60 are females whose average age is 20.64.
Further, 270 Australian university students has been also selected from Southern Cross
University in which 210 are females and mean age is 21.26. Therefore, to conduct the entire
study in effective manner, scholar also take a consent from the selected participants so that they
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take voluntary participations and present their views that helps to determine the addiction score
of students pertaining to smartphone use.
RESULTS
From this table, it is analyzed that the average number of Korean students spend their
time per day is approx 6.52 hours whereas, 4.72 hours is the estimated smartphone usage per day
by Australians students. Therefore, it is clearly reflected that due to Korean students are
consumes more time in Smartphones as compared to another in which they make or receive a
phone call. On the other side, average number of both students invest their time in social media,
whereas the descriptive table reflected that Korean students play games through their
smartphones as compared to Australians. Apart from this there are high number of Korean
people who uses their phone for shopping purpose whereas the average number i.e. Australian
students share a little of the time in buying ticket through phones. Therefore, it is reflected that
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Illustration 1: Mean scores for overall and specific smartphone usage while
studying in Korean and Australian students.

Korean students uses their phones excessively in different section instead of academic purpose
and that is why, their addiction is also increases.
With the help of descriptive statistics, it is reflected that there is majority of the selected
Korean and Australian students are weakly disagree that due to usage of excessive smartphone,
plans were missed and that is why, they faces many difficulties to concentrate on their
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Illustration 2: Mean scores for addiction or degree of attachment to
smartphone in Koreans and Australians

assignments. On the other side, average Australian students are agree that they face some
physical pain in their bodies i.e. in their wrist or at back of neck during excessive use of
smartphones. But Korean people are not weakly agree with the statement as the spend highest
hours in smartphones only. Moreover, the table also reflected that Korean students have higher
addiction score rate as compared to Australian and that is why, there is a negative correlation
was found between the hours spent and using the smartphone as compared to their academic
performance too.
DISCUSSION
Through the primary research it is identified that Korean students are uses smartphones
higher as compared to Australian in which they spend their time in different areas i.e. shopping,
playing games etc. Abbott and Smith (2018) also supported by stating that there is a strong
relationship between spending hours in smartphones and their academic performance. Therefore,
most of the students are distracted from their actual work when they use the phones frequently
and this in turn somehow leads to affect the overall performance as well. Also, the results shows
that for Australian students, there is a negative correlation found between hours spend using
their smartphones and their academic performance. It is so because there is less number of
students who admitted that they spend much time in smartphones, that is why, the prediction is
also proved i.e. Smartphone addiction scores is higher for Korean than Australian students.
In addition to this, it is also analyzed that Australian students are agreed that they have a
feeling of pain in their wrist or back while using smartphones and that is why, they did not uses
in excessive amount. Whereas in the case of Korean people, most of them also uses social media
in order to spend their time without any cause and this in turn affect their overall performance.
Liddle and et.al., (2017) also emphasized that the frequency of academic performance is keep
degrading and if a student uses both phones and work side by side then work will definitely
affected. Along with this, student do not put complete attention towards their academic
performance and as a result, it shows a inversely relationship between performance and usage of
smartphones.
Overall assessment clearly reflected that there is a inversely relationship between the
usage of smartphones and academic performance such that if the smartphones will used in
excessive amount by the students then their overall performance will be affected in opposite
manner. Also, results shows that Korean students are excessively uses the smartphones and that
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is why, there performance is degraded in the term of academic performance. Hence, there is a
need to implement the strategies in order to minimize the use of smartphones unnecessary,
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Abbott, L. M., & Smith, S. D. (2018). Smartphone apps for skin cancer diagnosis: Implications
for patients and practitioners. Australasian Journal of Dermatology.59(3). 168-170.
David, P. and et.al., (2015). Mobile phone distraction while studying. New media &
society, 17(10), 1661-1679.
Kim, H. J. and et.al., (2017). Accident risk associated with smartphone addiction: A study on
university students in Korea. Journal of behavioral addictions.6(4). 699-707.
Lau, W. W. (2017). Effects of social media usage and social media multitasking on the academic
performance of university students. Computers in human behavior.68. 286-291.
Liddle, J. and et.al., (2017). Can smartphones measure momentary quality of life and
participation? A proof of concept using experience sampling surveys with university
students. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal.64(4). 294-304.
Rosen, L. D., Carrier, L. M., & Cheever, N. A. (2013). Facebook and texting made me do it:
Media-induced task-switching while studying. Computers in Human Behavior.29(3). 948-
958.
Winskel, H. and et.al., (2019). Smartphone use and study behavior: A Korean and Australian
comparison. Heliyon. 5(7). e02158.
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