This study aims to compare the level of perception of using mobile phones at public places among users of four different countries; Malaysia, Indonesia, China and Iran from the perspective of Social Interaction Theory. A survey was conducted on 100 university students from each country that makes up a sample of 400 respondents. The findings of the study show 1) a significant difference in the perception of mobile phone and SMS usage in public places among respondents from different countries. Unlike Malaysian, Indonesian and Chinese respondents, the results of the study show that Iranian respondents are not too disturbed by the usage of mobile phones at public places. 2) The study also finds that Malaysian and Indonesian respondents seldom use mobile phone in public places, and that Chinese respondents often use mobile phone in public transport (i.e: bus). Meanwhile, Iranian respondents use mobile phone the most in four identified places – the supermarket, bus, pedestrian walkway and restaurant. 3) Most of the respondents in each category, however, prefer to use mobile phone – for making calls and SMS – in multi focused gathering compared to fully focused ones. The study concludes that cultural and geographical factors exert significant influence on the usage and perception of using mobile phone at public places.
Why are Individuals with Alexithymia Symptoms More Likely to Have Mobile Phone Addiction? The Multiple Mediating Roles of Social Interaction Anxiousness and Boredom Proneness
