要約
携帯電話によって、いつでも、どこでも、誰とでもコミュニケーションできるようになった。しかしながら、ユーザーはいつでも他者とつながることでしばしば悩まされることもある。携帯電話に対する態度を測定するため、われわれは五カ国の学生にたずねた（スウェーデン、米国、イタリア、日本、韓国）。携帯電話所有の最も好きなところと最も嫌いなところを。国を越えて共通した結果は、回答者がコミュニケーションを最も好むと同時に最も嫌っていることだ：つまり、他者とつながる可能性を享受すると同時に、常に他者とつながる可能性によって身動きが取れなくなっている。携帯電話依存への懸念は利用程度と対応している。国間の相違はサービス状況の差を反映している。他方、文化因子に由来する部分もある。
Naomi S. Baron
Concerns about mobile phones: A cross-national study
First Monday, Volume 16, Number 8 - 1 August 2011
Abstract
Mobile phones allow people to communicate when, where, and with whom they wish. However, users are often troubled to find themselves always available to others. To measure attitudes towards mobile phones, we asked students from universities in five countries what they liked most and what they liked least about having a mobile phone. Responses across all countries indicated that communication was both what subjects liked most and least — enjoying the ability to contact others but feeling trapped by other people’s ability to always contact them. Concerns about dependency on mobile phones corresponded to intensity of usage. Some distinctions between countries reflect variation in available technology, while others may result from cultural factors.
おまけ：日本は突出している（考察から）
The role of culture
Finally, we consider the role culture may play in shaping concerns about mobile phones. Our discussion is formulated in social/psychological terms: the impact of mobiles on interpersonal behavior and the impact on individuals. Let us begin with the concepts of Communication, Reachability, and Contact. Japan stands out from the other countries in its low level of complaint (‘like least’) regarding the way phones lead to perpetual contact:
・Communication: 27.2 percent of Japanese ‘like least’ responses (total for all countries: 40.9 percent)
・Reachability: 36.8 percent of Japanese ‘like least’ responses (total for all countries: 51.4 percent)
・Contact: 12.8 percent of Japanese ‘like least’ responses (total for all countries: 30.6 percent)
Socio–cultural research will be needed to confirm whether Japanese culture inhibits people from complaining about being available to potential communication partners. (Anecdotal evidence from Japanese colleagues suggests this may be the case.)
コメント
携帯電話利用の国際比較のお手本と言えるような調査だ。
蝉の声を聞きながらの訳出。夕方から雷鳴。
