As more and more people use mobile phones in their daily lives for a growing number of tasks and activities it seems interesting to examine if the mobile phone has already become indispensable for them. Especially the comparison of the indispensability of mobile phones with the indispensability of other essential [2] technologies – TV and Internet – will provide deep insigth into the structure of the relationship between humans and the technologies supporting their daily routines.

In the course of an experimental deprivation study the probands will give up mobile phones, internet and TV for two weeks each. During this period data of changes in their perceived dualities [1] concerning the technologies is collected and compared afterwards. Also the expected indispensabilty before deprivation and the experienced indispensabilty during deprivation are measured and compared.

The results of the study will show if there are differences between the tree technologies' indispensabilties. These differences may arise as varying possible non-usage periods or „cheats“ during the deprivation period as well as different changes in the dualities probands perceive concernig a technology.

References

[1]     Hoffman D. L.; Novak T. P., Venkatesh A. : Has the Internet become indispensable?, Communications of the ACM 47 (7), 2004, pp 37-42.

[2]     Williams M. E, Bryant J. A: To have and have not. Deprivation and the rational-emotional bridge, Qualitative, 3/2007, 2007, pp. 101-110.