Smartphone Usage: The Impact on Face-to-face Communication Skills of Students in College
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D)
Department
Higher Edu and Learning Technology
Date of Award
Fall 2025
Abstract
For this generation, technology has been a part of their lives since birth, but how it has affected their communication skills is still up for debate. Being able to communicate efficiently and effectively is a core skill every employee entering the workforce needs; however, understanding how to develop those communication skills is critical for the future of this generation and their success while in college. This study examines the impact of smartphone usage on face-to-face communication skills among Generation Z college students, focusing on both social and academic effects. They have never known the world without the lens of technology, so understanding its impact on their face-to-face communication is critical for their success in and out of the classroom. The research aims to uncover students’ smartphone communication preferences, usage patterns, and effects on interpersonal skills. Much of the current literature is quantitative in nature, whereas this study is qualitative, giving a comprehensive understanding of the usage and its effects. Data collection was done via semistructured interviews with five Generation Z undergraduate students at a small, urban, public university in the southern United States. The displacement hypothesis served as the theoretical framework to analyze the motivations behind smartphone use.
Advisor
Anissa Guerrin
Subject Categories
Education
Recommended Citation
Skinner, Jennifer LeeAnn, "Smartphone Usage: The Impact on Face-to-face Communication Skills of Students in College" (2025). Electronic Theses & Dissertations. 1337.
https://lair.etamu.edu/etd/1337
