A Study on Technophobia and Mobile Device Design

Abstract

Technophobia is described as the ‘abnormal fear or anxiety about the effects of advanced technology’, affecting one third of the population, causing health problems and the inability to work efficiently. The development of the mobile phone, both in its design process and its following socioeconomic success, has a prominent effect on our society in general; this point will be explicated in this paper. The negative effects of these developments have also been assessed with questionnaire-based interviews, focus groups and media analysis in order to focus on those who are most susceptible to the effects of technophobia, to discover the possible causes and to develop a solution for overcoming the phobia. The findings of the literature review and empirical research have been debated; the results proved inconclusive. All age and sex and groups displayed levels of anxiety around technology. Therefore, designers cannot afford to abandon these individuals in the future, and attention should be directed into inclusive product design. Therefore, various solutions have been suggested for support for these sufferers, such as tuition and bespoke, ‘built to specification’ mobile phones