Cell phone etiquette

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As cell phone etiquette (including cell phone etiquette ) refers to general rules of conduct and standards of behavior in dealing with mobile phones in everyday life. Mobile phone etiquette is a current topic for etiquette trainers in Germany, is described in current etiquette books for the 21st century and is also a subject of training and examination in the commercial sector and in training in the office sector. In 2012 and 2013 in particular, articles on this topic were increasingly published in Germany's major weekly and daily newspapers.

history

The need for rules of conduct for the use of mobile phones in everyday life increased due to the increased occurrence and the associated use of mobile phones in the mid-1990s. Around the turn of the millennium, the majority of Germans complained about the annoying mobile phone ringing and annoying mobile phone calls in everyday life.

The increasingly irresponsible use of cell phones in everyday life and in business led to the establishment of prohibited zones for cell phones from the late 1990s to the early 2000s. As a result, the use of cell phones while driving was regulated by law. Cell phone bans in schools, churches and cemeteries, in theaters and concert halls and in hospitals were determined individually by the respective house rules. Some of the bans were lifted in the mid-2010s.

Today cell phone etiquette is part of commercial training and is offered by etiquette trainers as a seminar for companies. In it, the participants are advised to behave in the use of mobile phones. A cell phone information center was set up and issued rules for the correct use of cell phones.

An institutionalization of social science research on mobile communication through specialist journals and specialist societies has already begun. In psychological studies, constructive and destructive ways of using mobile media and criteria for mobile media competence are worked out, which are then also conveyed to children or employees in lessons.

Cell phone bans

Cell phone use in the car

Telephoning in the car without a hands-free device has been banned in Germany since 2001 . Violations have been punished with a fine since 2004. The guidelines were tightened in 2014 and 2017. The ban applies not only to reading SMS or the time, but also to all operating functions when using the mobile phone as a navigation device, but also to pushing away or dictating. Since it was tightened in 2017, the ban no longer only affects cell phones and car phones, but all electronic devices used for communication, information or organization, such as tablet PCs, navigation devices, dictation machines and e-books. A violation of the ban on the use of cell phones and other electronic devices used for communication, information or organization is punished with a fine of 100 euros and the entry of a point in the register of fitness to drive . In the case of violations that endanger others or result in a traffic accident , the fine increases to 150 euros or 200 euros. In addition, in these cases two points are entered in the register of fitness to drive and a one-month driving ban is also imposed. The ban is intended to minimize the risk of accidents.

Cyclists are also prohibited by law from holding a cell phone or using them to make calls while driving and are punishable by fines.

In addition, it is being discussed whether, due to the almost widespread use of smartphones in Germany, a cell phone ban for pedestrians and thus also fines should be introduced, since this cell phone use also distracts road users and can endanger them. In China, special smartphone paths have already been set up for this.

In a 2016 survey, 42 percent of drivers said that they use their mobile phones to make calls without a speakerphone. 44 percent read short messages, 23 percent write messages on the keyboard while driving, 25 percent read e-mails on their mobile phones, and 8 percent type e-mails.

Cell phone use in the hospital

When using cell phones in hospitals, there was also the risk that the signals sent by cell phones could affect the functionality of sensitive devices. Incorrect values ​​can lead to the death of the patient. Modern medical machines are largely protected against radio waves. The bans were relaxed with the advent of modern equipment. However, some hospitals and medical practices maintain the cell phone ban, as most patients need rest to recover and cell phone calls are disruptive.

Use of cell phones in churches and public institutions

There is a general ban on cell phones in libraries. Almost all churches and cemeteries today prohibit the use of cell phones on the property. There are no legal regulations here. The house rules of the owner apply. There are also regional cell phone bans at some schools or for concert halls, cinemas and theaters. However, these are not regulated by law, but are determined by the respective house rules. A general ban on cell phones for restaurants, which was demanded in 2001, never caught on and was left to the individual behavioral standards of the individual.

Behavioral standards not regulated by law

Speaking loudly

Several studies of cell phone etiquette have found that forced listening is perceived as a significant nuisance. In particular, loud speaking and gesturing without a recognizable telephone or microphone on a smartphone with a headset was still irritating in the mid-2010s. Today speaking loudly is no longer seen as a problem - at least among young people - but the etiquette trainers recommend that conversations in public are only quiet and that they are brief, and that when you call in company, you move away from them to take the call in a (possibly quieter) location and to use headphones to listen to music on the mobile phone.

Ring

Likewise, loud ringing with various ring tones is viewed as unpleasant or even as an invasion of privacy, as Ling explains with a look at Goffman . An exploratory study carried out in Finland, Germany, Italy and Spain in 2002/2003 confirms that loud ringing is perceived as a disturbance. With the spontaneous outbreak of the ringing, all bystanders have to define new roles for themselves, pause conversations, and turn their gaze to the person who is looking for the phone. Meanwhile, the person making the phone is preparing to deal with a parallel part of his life, to react to a completely different situation. This ringing can also create the risk of losing face for a person. According to J. Höflich, the use of mobile phones is increasingly privatizing public space as a socially regulated space. Virtues of pure politeness, such as concentrating on the person opposite without distracting yourself with the cell phone, were lost.

Etiquette trainers therefore recommend switching the mobile phone to silent mode in public facilities, restaurants or business meetings and, if you forget to switch it to silent mode, switch off the mobile phone with a brief apology or arrange a call back with the caller. A moderate ringing tone volume and avoiding endless ringing is a matter of course in the seminars.

conversation topics

It is also seen as impolite and unpleasant if private matters or internal business topics are shared with the public during cell phone calls. J. Höflich justifies this feeling with our historical-psychological development. The aim is to spare others the burden of oneself, a behavior Richard Sennett calls "civilization" that enables us to enjoy the company of others. We have learned to deal adequately with closeness by keeping our distance, a mechanism that takes effect when we are within earshot of others and which Goffman calls "polite indifference". Comparative studies in the Netherlands, France and the USA confirmed the trend that people with occidental socialization are largely in agreement about what things are to be talked about in public and what not. In training courses, cell phone etiquette trainers therefore recommend switching the cell phone to silent during meetings and conversations and not placing it on the table in order to signal the importance of the personal conversation to the other person. Writing text messages or reading emails is taboo, especially when talking on the job. It is also recommended that you use your name when answering calls and that you keep business information confidential.

Limits and development

The ethical standards and social norms of behavior are constantly evolving and differ depending on the region, gender and employment status. Ling demonstrates that the way in which we use this technology has an impact on our societal social boundaries and their uses in other situations. A study among young people examined the relationships between mobile communication and the effects on media and media usage and found that mobile technology is being conceded to have an ever greater influence on more and more areas of life and that existing moral boundaries have already dissolved in certain age groups.

According to J. Höflich, we are currently in a state of development, a transitional state that is pushing the boundaries from a particular disruptive factor to socially regulated use. With the further development of the mobile telephone there is thus a further need for regulation, which has started with legal advances in the area of road traffic regulations . Like almost all current developments, cell phone etiquette has also been taken up by marketing companies. On behalf of an Australian lexicon publisher, an advertising agency invented the term phubbing as an allegedly real term for people who snub others by just looking at their device.

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. APEC: Pay attention to cell phone etiquette , accessed on March 1, 2015
  2. Majority of Germans for cell phone prohibition zones , article by n-tv from March 16, 2001, accessed on April 9, 2015
  3. 71 percent demand prohibited zones for cell phones , Tagesspiegel, article from February 21, 1998, accessed on April 9, 2015
  4. Rules of behavior are part of everyday working life ( memento of the original from July 9, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed April 9, 2015  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / kla-bremerhaven.de
  5. ^ Etiquette training, seminars , accessed April 9, 2015
  6. Rules for the correct use of mobile phones ( Memento from February 26, 2013 in the Internet Archive ), www.izmf.de. - The Mobile Radio Information Center ceased operations at the end of 2015.
  7. Bernad Batinic, Markus Appel Media Psychology , Chapter: Mobile Communication: Psychological Use and Effect Dimensions , Springer Verlag, August 31, 2008, p. 226
  8. Bernad Batinic, Markus Appel Media Psychology , Chapter: Mobile Communication: Psychological Use and Effect Dimensions , Springer Verlag, August 31, 2008, p. 228
  9. Günter Burkhart: Handymania: How the mobile phone has changed our lives , Campus Verlag, May 21, 2007, p. 96
  10. ^ Fines for ban on mobile phones at the wheel , accessed on April 9, 2015
  11. Printed matter 556/17, 53rd Ordinance amending road traffic regulations (pdf) Federal Council. July 12, 2017. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  12. Mobile phone in the car: This is allowed or prohibited , accessed on April 9, 2015
  13. § 23 Para. 1a StVO
  14. ↑ Cell phone violations - emergency lane - illegal motor vehicle races (pdf) Federal Motor Transport Authority. S. October 1, 2017. Accessed January 11, 2018.
  15. When cycling, the cell phone is taboo Straßenverkehrsamt.de, accessed on April 9, 2015
  16. Ban on cell phones for pedestrians? ( Memento of March 18, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Article from the BR of March 15, 2015, accessed on April 9, 2015
  17. Almost every second driver reads text messages at the wheel . Bitkom press release of February 5, 2016, accessed on February 11, 2016.
  18. Almost every second driver reads text messages at the wheel . Computerwoche of February 8, 2016, accessed on February 11, 2016.
  19. Research: Interference by new-generation mobile phones on critical care medical equipment , study of April 18, 2007
  20. IT and security: “Use of mobile devices in hospitals is grossly negligent” , article from June 10, 2013, accessed on April 9, 2015
  21. Gymnasium relaxes its strict mobile phone ban , accessed on April 9, 2015
  22. Cell phone-free zones: majority in favor , In: test / Stiftung Warentest 05/2001
  23. ^ Ph. D. Rich Ling: Mobile Telephones and the Disturbance of the Public Sphere ( Memento of May 24, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) Fornebu 2004, p. 5
  24. Danah Boyd: It's Complicated: The Life of Teenagers in Social Networks , Redline Wirtschaft, October 10, 2014, pp. 259 ff.
  25. Günter Burkhart: Handymania: How the mobile phone has changed our lives , Campus Verlag, May 21, 2007, p. 8
  26. Günter Burkhart: Handymania: How the mobile phone has changed our lives , Campus Verlag, May 21, 2007, p. 78
  27. The cell phone etiquette: These golden rules will help you behave correctly , accessed on March 1, 2015
  28. ↑ Office service glossary: ​​Cell phone etiquette ( memento of April 2, 2015 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on March 1, 2015
  29. Mobile phone etiquette: Telephoning in style ( Memento from April 2, 2015 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on March 1, 2015
  30. Ph. D. Rich Ling: Mobile Telephones and the Disturbance of the Public Sphere ( Memento of May 24, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) Fornebu 2004, p. 9
  31. ^ Höflich, Joachim R. / Gebhardt, Julian (ed., 2005): Mobile communication: Perspectives and fields of research. Berlin: Peter Lang, quoted from Joachim R. Höflich: Proximity and Distance - Mobile Communication and the Situational Arrangement of Communication Behavior , In: Petra Grimm, Rafael Capurro: Virtues of Media Culture: On Meaning and Loss of Meaning in Virtuous Trading in Media Communication , Franz Steiner Verlag 2005, p. 91
  32. ^ Ph. D. Rich Ling: Mobile Telephones and the Disturbance of the Public Sphere ( Memento of May 24, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) Fornebu 2004, p. 10
  33. Joachim R. Höflich: Proximity and Distance - Mobile Communication and the Situational Arrangement of Communication Behavior , In: Petra Grimm, Rafael Capurro: Virtues of Media Culture: On Meaning and Loss of Meaning in Virtuous Trade in Media Communication , Franz Steiner Verlag 2005, p. 81 ff.
  34. Mobile phone etiquette: Telephoning in style ( Memento from April 2, 2015 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on March 1, 2015
  35. a b Handy etiquette: You should pay attention to this , accessed on March 1, 2015
  36. Joachim R. Höflich: Proximity and Distance - Mobile Communication and the Situational Arrangement of Communication Behavior , In: Petra Grimm, Rafael Capurro: Virtues of Media Culture: On Meaning and Loss of Meaning in Virtuous Trade in Media Communication , Franz Steiner Verlag 2005, p. 89
  37. Joachim R. Höflich: Proximity and Distance - Mobile Communication and the Situational Arrangement of Communication Behavior , In: Petra Grimm, Rafael Capurro: Virtues of Media Culture: On Meaning and Loss of Meaning in Virtuous Trade in Media Communication , Franz Steiner Verlag 2005, p. 89 f.
  38. Günter Burkhart: Handymania: How the mobile phone has changed our lives , Campus Verlag, May 21, 2007, p. 92
  39. Cell phone etiquette in business and sales , accessed on March 1, 2015
  40. ^ In: Frankfurter Rundschau Mobile phone etiquette in the job: Protecting internal matters and privacy ( memento from April 2, 2015 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on March 1, 2015
  41. Thomas J. Lipscomb, Jeff W. Totten, Roy A. Cook and William Lesch: Cellular Phone Etiquette Among College Students , International Journal of Consumer Studies 2005 ( limited preview )
  42. Ph. D. Rich Ling: Mobile Telephones and the Disturbance of the Public Sphere ( Memento of May 24, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) Fornebu 2004, p. 15
  43. Bernad Batinic, Markus Appel Media Psychology , Chapter: Mobile Communication: Psychological Use and Effect Dimensions , Springer Verlag, August 31, 2008, p. 226 ff.
  44. Joachim R. Höflich: Proximity and Distance - Mobile Communication and the Situational Arrangement of Communication Behavior , In: Petra Grimm, Rafael Capurro: Virtues of Media Culture: On Meaning and Loss of Meaning in Virtuous Trade in Media Communication , Franz Steiner Verlag 2005, p. 100