Publisher
The University of Arizona.Rights
Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.Abstract
The purpose of this study is to see how technoference, or technology interference, would affect the relationship quality and perceptions of a conversation partner when phone interruptions are presented during a ten minute conversation. This honors thesis is written in the style of a Stage 1 Registered Report paper; Stage 1 reports outline research projects in advance and report on anticipated research findings. My thesis represents a hybrid of the Stage 1 paper because I also report preliminary data from an ongoing research study. My study was designed to address some limitations of the prior research and was driven by the following question: Do mildly intrusive cell phone interruptions disrupt quality of interpersonal interactions? We also wanted to look at, if smartphones, being more commonplace in day-to-day interactions, affect the quality of newly formed relationships through phone interruptions. In this study, we expect to see, in the control condition with no smartphone or interruptions, the participants rating relationships to be of higher quality and consisting of more empathy, as well as rating their conversation partner as more attentive. In the mild condition, the participants would rate relationships to be of poor quality and consisting of less empathy, as well as rating their conversation partner as less attentive. In the significant condition with a phone call interruption, the participants would rate the relationships to be of the poorest quality and feeling the least empathy as well as rating their conversation partner as the least attentive. Data collection is currently ongoing but as of our manipulation check, the data supports our hypothesis.Type
Electronic Thesistext
Degree Name
B.S.Degree Level
bachelorsDegree Program
PsychologyHonors College