Patterns of Meaningful and Meaningless Smartphone Use: A Diary Study

Abstract

Smartphones are highly popular, addictive everyday technologies which raised concerns about over-dependency. This has led to a wealth of research on smartphone overuse, albeit exploration of how habitual or phone overuse contrasts with purposeful or more meaningful use has been limited. To address this gap, this paper reports a one-week diary study with 20 users. Findings highlight the distinction between pragmatic and eudemonic activities supporting meaningful use, and of hedonic activities associated with habitual use. We suggest a more nuanced conversation of habitual and meaning smartphone use, and conclude with two design implications advocating support for pragmatic experiences augmented with hedonic content, and support for meaningful use rather than limiting meaningless use.