Journal of Critical Reviews

ISSN- 2394-5125 Vol 7, Issue 13, 2020

UNDERSTANDING NOMOPHOBIA AMONG DIGITAL NATIVES: CHARACTERISTICS AND

CHALLENGES
1 Fifi Hasmawati, 2 Yulia Tri Samiha, 3 Abdur Razzaq, 4 Muhammad Anshari
1 Fifi Hasmawati, Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Fatah Palembang
Email: fifihasmir@gmail.com
2 Yulia Tri Samiha, Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Fatah Palembang,

Email: yuliatrisamiha_uin@radenfatah.ac.id
3 Abdur Razzaq, Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Fatah Palembang

Email: abdurrazzaq_uin@radenfatah.ac.id
4 Muhammad Anshari, Universiti Brunei Darussalam

Email: anshari.ali@ubd.edu.bn

Received: 08.04.2020 Revised: 09.05.2020 Accepted: 05.06.2020

Abstract
Digital native generation is born during the digital era and know-how to use technology especially smartphone at an early age.
Smartphones play a vital role in the increase of having nomophobia as this device offers many capabilities that it has become a daily
essential. Digital natives and millennials generation have access to or owns at least one smartphone with access to the internet
‘Nomophobia’ is a growing concern as seen among digital natives and the millennial generation. The study examines the definitions,
characteristics, as well as patterns of nomophobia among digital natives and millennials. The methods of the study were qualitative
approach by interviewing respondents’ mostly digital native and millennials generation. Then, a text mining analytics from respondents’
conversation on the topics of nomophobia was extracted to find common patterns and correlations. The study revealed that nomophobia
and digital natives become anxious when they do not have their smartphones with them. Digital native with nomophobia has been
exposed to the smartphone and tend to rely on these technologies more than anything else.

Keywords: Smartphone, Nomophobia, Millennial generation, Digital Native, Smartphone Habits

© 2020 by Advance Scientific Research. This is an open-access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.31838/jcr.07.13.22

INTRODUCTION growing concern that a lot of youths would encounter a

Smartphone is a device that has diverse functions which exists in psychological challenge namely ‘Nomophobia’. Nomophobia is
the capability of a computer. It is a device that can be defined as a usually anxious type of people, and have some sort of
mini computer because of its unique size and its various nervousness considering they feel they have to fill a void. They
functions like a PC or a computer device. It allows the user to use are always distressed and have a social anxiety and gets panics
various applications, for example web browsing, emails, easily as they are always concern on smartphone’s notification
downloads, games and more (Carroll & Heiser, 2010; Razzaq et (Enock et.al, 2014). The person tends to check their phone very
al., 2018). Smartphone users vary from all level of ages but often during any activities in case they got texts from their
majority of them are found to be young adults or youngsters friends or they got notification from other Apps such as
(Ahad et al, 2017). Since smartphones are becoming more Instagram or Twitter thus they cannot pay attention on the task
advance and complex, youngsters are a digital native where they or activities.
are a step ahead in using these technologies than other groups of
people. Youngsters especially those are digital native generation are
more likely to experience nomophobia. Nomophobia is powerful
Due to its attractiveness with a wide range of applications, behavior that a person could not go out for a little while without
Smartphone can influence the user’s mind because once the their smartphone as a part of their activities ((Anshari, Alas, &
phones are considered obsolete, people tend to get a new phone. Sulaiman, 2019; Almunawar et.al. 2013). This study examines
It continuously upgrades in the form of style or an act because definition, characteristics and proposed solution for person who
they change vigorously in the market (Goldman, 2011) and may suffer nomophobia. Thus, this research looks into
requiring simultaneous updates because more creative features nomophobia among youths’ experiences with smartphone
are updated in regular basis. This activity can be considered as especially constant usage for online activities. This paper is
an addiction for frequent users because they could not waste a organized as follows: Section 2 consists the literature review
time to be outdated. Consequently they follow on track on what which is used to construct the main idea of this research. Section
is trending and popular. Since people can consume more of the 3 discusses the approach taken to investigate the problem
time with Smartphone, it is highly responsible for the user’s highlighted in this study. Section 4 describes the findings of
health problem. Excessive usage of Smartphones may affect the digital natives’ analytics. In Section 5, results of nomophobia
user’s health such as eye problem, joint and muscle pain, analytic followed by discussion and recommendations at Section
behavioral problem or even mental health disorder. 6. Finally, Section 7 summarizes the research.
Furthermore, Smartphone is an influential device in a hand of the
youth throughout the day that it may affect habits or behaviors of LITERATURE REVIEW
the users (Dennison et al., 2013). It is no doubt that people attach to their smartphone seeing these
gadgets as reliable items in their lives. In fact, smartphone has
Nowadays, youths have access or owns at least one smartphone become a necessity for people’s lives providing many option to
with access to the Internet. Smartphone are so attractive and stay connected everywhere at any time. It is a smart mobile
advanced offering a lot of digital information, features and device with many features beyond making and receiving phone
functionalities as well as entertainment. However, there is a calls, text messages, voice mail and Internet access as well as

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digital media access including pictures, music and videos generation of young people born since 1980 as “digital natives”
(Grinols & Rajes, 2014). It is undisputable that the global trend due to what he perceived as an innate confidence in using new
towards smartphones has reached any countries either technologies such as the Internet, videogames, mobile telephony
developed, developing and least developed countries. The and all the other toys and tools of the digital age (Prenksy, 2001).
number of smartphone users worldwide escalates as Apps are Today, these simplified understandings remain. Digital native is
forecasted to rise from 10.7 billion in 2010 to 182.7 billion in people that are born during the smart mobile technology era that
2015. The rapid growth in the number of connections and conversant very well with technology. They know how stuff
growth in the consumption of data services. While the rate of regarding technology and are born during technology era. They
growth of consumption in this category is reported to be over 80 taught to use computers and most of the time using mobile
% at the global level (International Data Corporation, 2011). technologies (Dutton & Blank, 2015). Prensky argued that
technology was essential to these young people’s existence –
Smartphones for youth and children would be able to provide depicting young people as now being constantly “surrounded”
them with a new form of learning, apart from the traditional and “immersed” by these new technologies in ways that older
textbook that they use in school (Jones, 2013). Allowing this generations were not. Recently, Prensky has argued that this
device, they would be able to access various information through permanent state of technological immersion and dependence is
the phone’s dictionary, encyclopedia and the education encapsulated in the lifestyles of upcoming generations of “i-kids”
applications. Moreover, they would be able to have a fun learning (Prensky, 2008). While, non-digital native generation or ‘digital
process with educational gaming application, which can also be immigrant’ is technology is introduced to this generation when
updated regularly with new information, rather than the fixed they are teenager. When they were still kids, they used to play
version of their textbook. In this section, we reveals some around more and were not exposed with the use of technologies
important studies on digital native generation in relation to and the Internet. During they were little, technology was not
smartphone and physiological impact of smartphone including advanced hence people were not exposed to smartphones and do
nomophobia. not know how to work on it.
Digital Native Bayne & Ross (2011) developed a useful place to contrast the
The years of the 2000s have been subject to a particularly strong native-immigrant opposition in considering the series of cluster
influence of the child computer user discourse, symbolized around it. Drawing on the terminologies evident in the large
“digital natives” or the “net generation” (Selwyn, 2009). The term popular literature, and the smaller academic literature on the
digital native introduced from a series of articles written since theme could be extracted the following Table 1;
2001 by the US technologist Marc Prensky. Prensky stated the

Table 1 Comparative Digital Native vs Immigrant (Source: Bayne & Ross, 2011)
Native Immigrant
Student Teacher
Fast Slow
Young Old
Future Past or legacy
Multitasking Logical or serial thinking
Image / visual Text
Playful Serious
Looking forward Looking backward
Digital Analog
Action Knowledge
Constant connection Isolation

Digital natives are assumed to have sophisticated technical millennial learners who currently dominating universities’
digital skills and learning preferences for which traditional classrooms are purportedly digital natives whose repeated
education is unprepared and unfit (Kirschner & De Bruyckere, exposure to a host of new technologies has allegedly resulted in
2017). One Digital natives generations are comfortable with enhanced skills in several areas, including those related to
multi-tasking (Prensky, 2001; Akçayır, Dündar, & Akçayır, 2016) technology and visual communication (Brumberger, 2011).
as they are able to do more than one task at the same time
(Calderwood, et.al., 2016; Teo, Kabakçı Yurdakul, & Ursavas¸ Digital natives are the future generations, normally they are a
2014; Polak et al., 2019). For instance, a multitasking individual step ahead in using these technologies than the other group. No
may update status through social media, make conversation at matter what gender they are as long as they are known as digital
their messenger communication and checking their email or natives, they are the most smartphone’s users (Low & Anshari,
sneaking friends’ profile at Facebook. 2013). Smartphone is also an accessible device that can consume
more of the user’s time and also because it offers a wide range of
In the context of undergraduate student, according to Smith available applications (Oulasvirta, Rattenbury, Ma, & Raita,
(2012), today’s undergraduate students are considered as digital 2012). Unfortunately, over-usage of Smartphones can actually
natives. It is because they fulfil the characteristics of digital affect to their health such as causing eye problems, joint and
native and following eight dominant claims concerning digital muscle pain, behavior challenges, or even mental health or
natives painting Net generation students in higher education as: disorder (Anshari, Alas, & Guan, 2015b), and one of the
1) Possessing new ways of knowing and being; 2) Driving a psychological issue due to smartphone addiction is known as
digital revolution transforming society; 3) Innately or inherently nomophobia.
tech-savvy; 4) Multi-taskers, team-oriented, and collaborative; 5)
Native speakers of the language of technologies; 6) Embracing Nomophobia & Smartphone Addition
gaming, interaction and simulation; 7) Demanding immediate Smartphone is a device that has diverse functions which exists in
gratification; and 8) Reflecting and responding to the knowledge the capability of a computer. Each of smartphone is likely
economy (Smith, 2012). Similar argument stated that the accompanied by a mobile broadband data service package. It

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allows the user to use various applications, for example web battery is about to die, or even when there are no receptions to
browsing, emails, downloads, games and more (Carroll & Heiser, make calls & delivering/receiving texts (Bragazzi et al., 2014).
2010; Almunawar et. al, 2015). It is a device that can be defined
as a mini computer because of its unique size and its various In addition, nomophobia has multi-dimensional traits ranging
functions like a PC or a computer device. There are many from social, physiological, and physical symptoms that is
Smartphone users worldwide but most of them are found to be summarized into very dependency upon smartphone. According
young adults or youngsters (Anshari et al, 2017). This is because to King, Valença, Silva, Baczynski, Carvalho, & Nardi (2013),
Smartphone needs a better understanding before it can be used, nomophobia symptoms shows the existence of the previous
as technologies are becoming more and more advance and mental disorder that is in need of examination, analyze and
complex. treated. According to Packham (2015), nomophobia has the Four
stages of separation anxiety; cannot communicate, lost
According to Dennison, Morrison, Conway, & Yardley (2013) connectedness, cannot access information, and it is inconvenient
youth might change in behaviors because smartphone is in their to not have your phone on hand. Smartphone play a vital role in
hand throughout the day. This strongly shows how powerful a the increase of having nomophobia as this device offers many
smartphone can become necessity as part of many youth’s capabilities that it has become our daily essential. Increasing
activities (Anshari, Alas, & Guan, 2016). It is an influential device worldwide demand of smartphones have been an essential part
that one could not go out for a little while without smartphone. of our lives and there is little doubt that almost everyone
Hence, it is highly reasonable and responsible for causing mental especially the youth owns them. Although there are favorable
disorder or behavioral challenges or health problem. conditions of owning a smartphone. Yildirim and Correia (2015)
Furthermore, it can control the user’s mind because once it argue due to users’ daily involvement with smartphones, being
becomes obsolete, people tend to get a new smartphone. separated from their devices would create distress and anxiety.
According to Goldman (2011), smartphone continuously Previous research indicated that 26% participants were
competing one another in the form of style, capacities, Nomophobia and 64% were at risk of developing nomophobia
capabilities, and features as they change vigorously in the from total of 205 participants of two schools (Menezes &
market. It needs an ultimate or simultaneous updates because Pangam, 2017).
more creative Apps are created within a year or less.
Nomophobia is certainly a growing concern as seen among youth
Regular update can affect an addiction for frequent users because that nomophobia is a 21st century disorder that has relation to
they could not waste a time to be outdated or Apps provider will the growing expansion of technologies (King et al., 2014).
force user to update by disabling them to old version of Apps in Youngsters are more likely to experience nomophobia. It shows
order them to follow on track on what is trending and popular. that more youths have become heavily reliant on smartphone for
The excessive usage of smartphone can be seen on a daily basis the purpose of convenience and sense of self-assurance. It is due
where people are busier than ever on their smartphone. Report to the addiction of the use of smartphones in daily life. Yildrim et
on addiction-related studies have been increasing recently. A al. (2016), conducted a survey regarding nomophobia in a
recent study surveyed almost 1,000 students in South Korea, by Turkish college, found that about 42.6% of 537 students had
the age of 11 or 12, 72% of children own a smartphone and nomophobia with their greatest fear being related to
spend 5.4 hours a day on average, resulting 25% of children communication and information access. This strongly indicates
considered to be addicted to smartphones (Chen, 2015). that smartphone addiction poses a severe risk to many people
since most of them are not practically aware of developing
Students have become much dependent on smartphone by doing nomophobia.
most of the jobs using a smartphone, where formerly it can be
done without a smartphone. Camera, audio, video, notes, contact METHODOLOGY
lists are all in the smartphone, making students unable to do The study interviewed 230 digital natives and millennials
their work without a smartphone (Woodcock et al., 2012). Even generations. We asked them to define who digital native is, what
though smartphone can aids student to do assignment in soft their characteristics are, what nomophobia is, what
copy, and does not waste papers which save the ecosystem, it has nomophobia’s characteristics are, and how to overcome
advanced and create social media such as Youtube which appears nomophobia among youth. Then, we convert the answer into
to show funny or inappropriate videos can derives and distracts digital form and compiled each group of question into each
one’s concentration. Video or online games are expanded thus cluster. The cluster composed of digital native, digital native
students often procrastinate and making them anti-social characteristics, nomophobia, and nomophobia characteristics.
(Anshari et al., 2015; Samaha & Hawi, 2016; Ahad & Anshari, Text mining tool were deployed to find the patterns of each
2017). Smartphone that has notification can be a distraction to cluster. The outcome of the pattern was terms’ visualization in
those who are weak to the temptation. The rapid advancement of cloud words and correlation. We also analyzed how strong
smartphone and Apps can cause addiction and behavior correlation between variables of research. In order to support
challenges including nomophobia. text mining analytics, we conducted focus group discussions with
the selected participants to verify the extracted pattern from text
Regardless of the growing numbers of studies for smartphone’s mining results.
addition, the current research of nomophobia are still less and
inadequate. Nomophobia can be simply described as a form of Digital Native
behavioral challenges special for smartphone’s users. A simple Nowadays almost everyone would be preoccupied with their
definition of nomophobia is a feeling of anxiety that when smartphone especially at the public places where people are not
smartphones are not in their possession or the fear of being out looking at their Smartphone (Perlow, 2012). Youths and children
of smartphone contact (King et al., 2013). For instance, one may are the generation in majority have access or owns at least
suffer the anxiety of not being able to be in contact with your smartphone with access to the Internet. There is a growing
phone or not having the phone with you and the other is having a concern that a lot of youths and children known as digital native
phone but not being able to use it (Yildirim & Correia, 2015). It is would encounter the phobia given the fact that in this generation
fear of being away from a Smartphone or disconnecting from the alone smartphone are advanced and offers a lot of digital
mobile network. Some of those characteristics are anxiety of not information, entertainment and limitless communication. In this
being able to be in contact with phone or not having the phone section, we revealed data analysis of digital natives from
with us or having a phone but not being able to use it (Bivin et al., respondents’ conversations.
2013). Panic when smartphone is out of sight or when the phone

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Figure 1 is text mining visualization which is generated from mobile phone and they know about computers since they were a
respondents’ conversation and their responds towards digital very young kid. As mentioned by respondent “I know how to use
native and its characteristics. It shows most important keywords, internet when I was in 3rd grade, but mainly I used it to play
characteristics and connectivity on the topic of digital native. internet games before. So, I’d say I’m one of the digital native.
While, Table 1 shows some strong positive correlations between We, the millennials are digital native by default because we are
components of digital native. Digital native generation, as they born in this technology era. Growing up, technology has
are the millennials who are born during the technology era. They improved and upgraded and we’re here witnessing the progress
grew up knowing a lot of technology around them. When there of technology and using the technology as part of our lifestyles.”
were at six (6) years old normally they started playing games on

Figure1. Digital native characteristics extracted from text mining visualization (Source: Authors’ compilation, 2018)
Figure 1 shows most commons keywords extracted from with the use of technologies and the Internet from an early age.
respondents conversation forming the patterns and Cloud words visualization indicates that they are normally
characteristics of digital native. It shows that digital native is always carry phones, wire chargers and even power banks to
highly familiar with the technology and they know-how to use keep the phone well charged. If the phone battery is fully drained
those digital technologies. In addition, they are people who are or no cellular connection, they will feel panic and fearful of not
born and raised in the era of ICT and they are basically familiar being connected with others online.

Table 2. Positive Correlations Digital Natives & Characteristics (Source: Authors’ compilation, 2018)
Term 1 Term 2 Pearson’s Correlation
Coefficient
Apps Culture 0.9883174
Tech Toys 0.90632695
Primary age Tech 0.90632695
Digital Era Native 0.87401825
Child Games 0.8728716
Kid Online 0.80178374
Smartphone Young 0.79388416
ICT Age 0.7811885
ICT Usage 0.77272725
Multitask Programs 0.74535596
Internet Dependency 0.8249579
Tech Comfortable Digital native 0.80178374
Playing Tech 0.84270096
Digital generation Know-how tech 0.8615595

While, Table 2 indicates strong positive correlations among phone and games (0.87), and smart mobile device as a toys
variables of digital natives. Some of characteristics from digital (0.906) or entertainment (0.842).
native are conversant with new update (0.988), exposed to
technology since early age (0.874), dependency (0.824), Conversant with New Update
multitask (0.745), tech comfortable (0.80), extensive usage of One of strong characteristics is that they are able to cope easily
without using manuals. Someone who is digital native are tech

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savvy. They know how to make the best out of the features Respondent stated “I consider myself as a digital native
provided on computers and whatnot. Then they are able to generation because back in my primary school, we used to have
understand the usage of each features quickly and able to use it. ICT/computer lessons where our teacher taught us how to use
Since they are familiar using digital technologies at a young age, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and also Paint. Even at home,
they tend to do their task faster than the digital immigrants. They I always use my father’s computer and laptop to play games and
most likely able to multitask. Some respondents agreed that actually do my school projects using Microsoft Word. They are
youth and children nowadays as digital natives because most of brought up to this technology era where toddlers have an iPad so
them are exposed to the modern gadgets like iPad and that they know how to work on the smartphones, know how to
smartphone. “I do consider myself as a digital native generation surf in the internet in an early age. Some of the characteristics
because I spend most of the times using modern technologies to are being able to multitask, can rapidly task-switching, intuitive
do help me do my everyday work like studying, research, learners where they are able to understand things without
cooking, entertainment and so on.” manuals.
The other respondent pointed out that they believe their interest Addiction of Phone and Social Media
in technology and application in life makes them fall under the When digital native wake up and he first thing that come to their
digital native category as explained; “Yes, they are exposed to mind are to check their smartphone for messages made by
technology at a very early stage. They were given game consoles friends or to check social media networks is one of the common
since they were a kid and grew up with gaming. At age 6, they necessities. Respondent mentioned that “the characteristics of a
accessed father’s computer when he was not using and played digital native would be their constant usage of smartphone or
with Microsoft Word, Excel, Paint and pre-installed games such spending too much time surfing the internet or social media.”
as hearts, solitaire and pinball. Familiar with those applications While, other respondent explained “I had a friend who borrowed
in time, growing up they had ease of understanding and an unfamiliar student’s phone charger just to charge his phone
exploring computer applications on their own. With growth of for a while to post his update.” The addiction makes digital
Youtube in 2008, they were further exposed to online technology natives more literate when it comes to digital technology as they
guides and trend.” grew up surrounded by it. Through this, they are able to adept
However, some respondents are not considering themselves as better to change than most people who are not raised into the
digital native because they were not given a smartphone or digital era. Though one could argue they develop the need to
computer when they were a kid not until they were in high always surround themselves with digital technology.
school. Although technologies were already blooming at the time
they were a young children, yet their environment especially Smartphone as Toy
their parents would limit them from being too dependent and As stated at Table 1 that there is strong correlation between
getting used to the technologies. Therefore, they consider technology and toys. For example, children as young as a baby
themselves as a digital immigrant, where one transfers from the are already introduced with their own technology, such as
certain era into another one. “I consider myself as a digital smartphone or tablets because some parents have the idea of
immigrant (people who grew up in one digital culture and moved containing their own children with the use of technology. This is
into another) instead. It is argued that the people who grew up in very common nowadays, as toys are being replaced with games
the age of wired computers differ from those who grew up with and videos from smartphone. Respondent mentioned “They grew
mobile technology like laptop or mobile smartphone. I believe I up playing with these gadgets, it becomes a part of their norm to
belong in the first one. There is no denying that I’ve already been have one and is very familiar with it.
exposed to computers when I was younger but in comparison, I
believe today’s children is more likely to be digitally native or Nomophobia
advanced than I was. This comes to play with them using trendy In this section we displayed respondents’ conversation on the
social platforms and services like Instagram or downloading topic of nomophobia based on the text mining analysis. Figure 2
game applications through mobile smartphone at such a young was originated from respondents’ answers and their
age. I on the other hand, was only familiar with these during my conversation on the topic of nomophobia and its characteristics.
high school years.” One characteristic of digital natives is that The Figure shows most recent keywords and the patterns of
they feel comfortable with all the technologies around them and nomophobia expressing activities, characteristics and connective.
even get used to new technology faster compare to non-digital While, Table 2 was the extraction from the keywords. The
natives. analysis shows words pattern of characteristics of nomophobia
(Figure 2). Definition derived from the analytic, nomophobia is a
Expose to technologies since early age form behavioral addiction towards smartphone referring to the
The generation of people born during the rise of digital feeling of fear, anxiety or anxious caused by the inability to have
technologies and they are exposed to technologies since early access to smartphone, PCs or any device that provides virtual
age. They know how and accustomed to using computers and the social communication. Nomophobia is defined as fear of not
internet from an early age to use some sorts of technologies. having smartphones caused by the addiction of the use of
These person is very familiar with the technology such as smartphones in daily life. It is the fear of the inability to contact
computers because they are expose to it from the start. people online and being out of cell phone contact.

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Figure 2. Nomophobia Characteristics from Text Mining Visualization (Source: Authors’ compilation, 2018)
Furthermore, Table 3 shows sentences’ extraction analytics for symptoms that is summed up into extremely dependency upon
nomophobia. It shows that nomophobia has multi-dimensional smartphone. Below is the main characteristics of nomophobia
characteristics ranging from social, physiological, and physical based on the data extraction at Table 2.

Table 3. Characteristics of Nomophobia Extracted from Text Mining Analysis (Source: Authors’ compilation, 2018)
• Feel insecure without smartphone.
• Feel disconnected from the social media
• Finding it easier for completing simple tasks
• Being dependent on looking for information
• Social anxiety
• Keep looking onto their phones
• Bring smartphone everywhere
• Fear of disconnecting from the cellular network world
• Fear of the outside world without smartphone
• Always posting any small activities
• Unable to express feelings face to face but in social media
• Cannot communicate
• Antisocial/introvert with low confidence
• Suffer OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) on phones
• Difficult to make real friends in real life
• Bring charger or power bank to keep smartphone fully charged
• Mentally challenged when presenting in class verbally
• Have the tendency to turn on their smartphones
• Communicate people nearby via messaging
• Once without phone, psychological syndrome will trigger
• Thinking of their phone rather than the situation they are in
• Get stress overtime
• Financial issue due to the usage of their phones
• Sleep with their phones next to them
• Feeling lonely

Constant Checking nomophobia might feel that treat like sensation or very anxious
Nomophobia is the fear of not in contact with mobile phones. It is when they get a notification. For example, when they get a “ding!”
that they will constantly check their phone, even if there is no from their smartphone, the reward is the text that they just got.
new notification. Both also is the fear of being disengaged from Notification is like gifts or treats, and our smartphones are able
smartphone. It is an emerging disorder in modern world today, to provide those mundane notifications and messages are our
describing discomfort or anxiety due to the inaccessibility of treats! Nomophobia arises due to the ability of it (the smart
mobile phones or other virtual communication devices in an phone) to create instant rewards. For example, when you get a
individual who use them habitually (King et al, 2013). Always “ding” from phone, the reward is the text that you just got
checks his/her phone for messages, connectivity or updates even nomophobia arises due to the ability of it (the smart phone) to
when there are no notifications. They would instantly check their create instant rewards.
phones as they think their phone would vibrate but it did not.
They would suffer a phenomenon called Phantom Vibration Feeling Insecure, Easily Panic, Fear, Anxious
Syndrome. They feel it is hard to concentrate without checking People with nomophobia will attribute to feeling insecure
phone and keep the phone silent rather than switching it off without having smartphone, keep looking onto their phone and
during lectures or formal events. Nomophobia arises due to the bring it everywhere. They will have the urge to reach into their
ability of smartphone creating instant rewards. People with pockets to search for their phone. They tend to check on their

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phone because they feel anxious, distressed and panics for lifestyle with the reliance on smart mobile devices including
notifications as they check notification secretly in the event of smartphone and the Internet. For instance, someone who was
formal meeting. Respondent explained” I would define entirely handed with a technology as early as when they are 2
nomophobia as the fear of not having my phone on hand at all years old. For example, children as young as a baby are already
times. Instead, I feel very anxious when that happens. I do still introduced with their own technology, such as smartphone or
use my phone, but only due to convenience. Being able to search tablets because some parents have the idea of containing their
something up quickly, it fits in your pocket, I can use it to call my own children with the use of technology. This is very common
mom, etc. nowadays, as toys are being replaced with games and videos
from smartphone.
Digital native and nomophobia share the same characteristics
that is ignorance when people trying to communicate with them, Dependency
and they easily got frustrated when the digital gadget is taken In addition, they will be dependent on looking up information
away. Either antisocial/introvert with low confidence and through smartphone hence they find it easy to complete simple
difficult to interact in real life; or highly confident and self- tasks. Even, they are too dependent on their smartphone and
conscious that he/she will post status or photos all the time. when there is no access to information they feel something is
They may suffer social anxiety which is being insecure when lacking. Thus making them more addicted to smartphone.
phone is out of sight that they cannot be able to fit in with people Moreover, for students, they will lose interest and have weak
around them due to lack of self confidence in engaging a face to performance on their studies because they tends to take pictures
face conversation. Respondent highlighted “the person of slide at the back seat in class rather than jotting down the
him/herself would feel insecure without their smartphones with notes. They will make technologies as excuses and will reach out
them as they would find it difficult to communicate with their their phone to charge it if the phone battery is low. Using a
family and friends”. smartphone and spending considerable time on it, always
carrying a charger with oneself, feeling anxious and nervous at
Anti-Social the thought of losing handset or when the mobile phone cannot
No doubt smartphones have become a hands on aid tool because be used due to no network or battery. In addition, it influences
they can search direction, seek information, read articles, and the user’s mind because once smartphone is considered obsolete,
watch educational videos. However, excessive usage of people tend to get a new smartphone. According to Goldman
smartphone can make person becomes anti-social. One (2011) that smartphone continuously out dress one another in
respondent stated that ““People labelled as digital native tend to the form of style or an act because they changed vigorously in the
go anti-social. However, they can do more things than digital market. It does need an ultimate or simultaneous updates
immigrants such as multi-tasking and know how to find because more creative Apps are created within a short period of
information and do more research.” As they depend their phones time. It indicates an addiction for frequent users because they
for social context and making friends there. It would be very could not stand for outdated due to necessity for social pressure
difficult for them to make real friends in real life as he or she on what is trending and popular. Nomophobia can be linked to
have used to making friends online. They always bring their over dependency on mobile phone. Considering the increasing
phone everywhere and play with it even though no new text number of smartphones that serve advance functionalities,
messages received especially at public places when that person mobile phone could enhance our everyday life in many ways to
want to avoid talking to strangers sitting next to them or when an extent that one may not can live without it. As shared by
eating alone. Furthermore, according to a finding in the study respondent “when if their phones vibrates or blinking they will
conducted by Anuar Ali and Abdul Rauf (2017), there is a immediately checked on it by reading the notifications secretly,
significant relationship that people that developed nomophobia also when their phones has to be next to them and they can’t take
are due to fear of inability to communicate, fear of loss of off their phone from their hands in which they always keep
connectedness, fear of being alone and fear of loss convenience holding it”
(Low & Anshari, 2013; Almunawar & Anshari, 2014). In the event
of meeting or attending lecture, people with nomophobia never Multitasking
stop holding their smartphone and will only keep their Some respondents believe that digital native and nomophobia
smartphone in silent mode rather than switching it off. They share the same characteristics that they do multitasking well and
need to at least have their phones on the desk where it is visible speak the language of online naturally. They have impeccable
and within hands reach. skill on multitasking and able to do more than one work at the
same time and they are multimedia oriented where they are can
Addiction & Social media multitasks by texting while sending an email with a TV show on
Digital native and nomophobia embrace and loves smart mobile in the background and browsing Instagram or twitter. As
devices and they are usually social network savvy. Nomophobia mentioned by respondents; “digital natives are usually able to do
person will feel disconnected from the social media and fear of more than one task at a time are original or creative thinkers that
the outside world without smartphone so they keep their phone like to experiment and are very flexible that they have their
switched on. “Whenever I’m bored but when it comes to my hands on a smartphone or a laptop, they have basic knowledge to
mobile device I tend to use it for its main purposes; calling and use programs or Apps, able to multitask and do research online
messaging. I only use my laptop to search for entertainment but I quickly, well adapted to social media and entertainment.”
try not to spend too much time with technology.” People with
nomophobia are chasing expression that they are virtually social Health Issues
existence, self-expression, and popularities to engage in the The final problem which may and could rise due to persistent
digital era. The addiction continues to increase as users usually usage of smartphones would be health problems. Although
use it for self-expression. For example on social media. The need researchers have yet to find conclusive evidence that mobile
to be the first person to update on a certain event or achievement devices are damaging our health, it does not mean that they are
increases as the number of likes or retweets determine how not a danger to our health either. There is also no harm in being
important or how much you are accepted in society. As cautious. Sometimes those who are addicted to their phones tend
mentioned “by the time I was in Year 7, I got transitioned to the to forget the time especially when they find something they love
life of technology and spend more time on social media, catching to do on their phones: reading, playing games and even watching
up tech news, video editing and gaming. However I still maintain videos. These can cause people to lose sleep as they obsess over
social interactions to this date.” Either digital native or people finishing what they have started and when one loses sleep, one
with nomophobia also refers to an individual who develops their

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 UNDERSTANDING NOMOPHOBIA AMONG DIGITAL NATIVES: CHARACTERISTICS AND CHALLENGES

tends to become very cranky. That would lead to rude behaviors losing focus and interest, misunderstandings and etcetera. In
and perhaps it may also lead to other obvious reasons such as addition to that, it may also increase our stress levels.

Table 4. Positive Correlation between Variables (Source: Authors’ compilation, 2018)

Item 1 Item 2 Pearson r Correlation
Phone When bored 1.0
Phone When Fun 1.0
Conveniently Phone 1.0
Messengers Phone 1.0
Generation Medias 0.99146014
Nomophobic Overtime 0.8849847
Nomophobic School 0.8465397
Nomophobic Habit 0.80403024
Nomophobic Addiction 0.74535596
Away from smartphone Socially 0.8154904
Addiction Technology 0.74535596
Nomophobic Applications 0.74535596
Network Smartphone 0.9394187
Phone Search 0.8479983
Educational Smartphone 0.8476397
Not bring phone Fear 0.82472247
Games Online 0.7435358
Anxiety Always watching phone 0.875
Feelings Social Media 0.9018193
Accessing phone Feeling 0.8451542
Feeling Lonely 0.8451542

Table 4 indicates strong positive correlation between variables of How to overcome Nomophobia
nomophobia. For instance, there is strong positive correlation People admitted to having the fear of losing signals, experiencing
between personal feeling and smartphone interaction. Person low phone battery powers and misplacing phones. These are just
with nomophobia, they will have social anxiety (0.875) and basic examples of someone who has Nomophobia (Anshari et la.,
becoming introverted with low confidence level (0.845) hence 2019). They have been spending more time using their
disabling them to express their feeling face to face but prefer to smartphone on social media, entertainment and others. Having
express it in social media (0.9018). Furthermore, they will feel to check their notifications too often without realizing. They
mentally challenged when they were asked to present verbally in probably would experience anxiety attacks if the phone was to be
class (0,824). They would develop and suffer obsessive- taken away from them. There are some similarities in terms of
compulsive disorder (OCD) on phones (1.0). Moreover, they will characteristics between nomophobia and digital native as
become antisocial (0,824) so as a result they could not discussed at previous section. Nomophobia which is the fear loss
communicate and will face difficulty in making real friend as well of phones is causing sleep deprive among the addicts since they
as they will feel lonely (0.845), get stress overtime and can just stayed up late checking chats, status updates or to upgrade game
communicate with people via messaging (0.99). These people level. It affects a large number of people and affects their mental
will bring charger or power bank to keep the phone fully charged and physical health. The younger children might develop
all the time (0.884) because without their phone, their nomophobia since they are exposed with technology and might
psychological syndrome will get triggered. Not to mention, they own a mobile phone. In general, there are some useful activities
will face financial issue due to the usage of their phone and they that may eliminate nomophobia. Those are reducing phone
will sleep with their phone next to them (0.80). usage, find new hobbies, and physical interactions or regular. In
this section, we point out some keywords to reduce impact of
nomophobia. Table 5 shows some key statements extracted from
conversation and data analytics in order to eliminate
nomophobia among youth.

Table 5. How to overcome nomophobia from text mining (Source: Authors’ compilation, 2018)
• Limiting the use of smartphones on our daily life
• Phone-free zones
• engaging conversations with people around
• deleting useless applications
• new hobby-doing activities without bringing smartphone
• doing activities requiring high concentration without checking smartphne
• do something else instead of using smartphone
• take a break when using smartphones
• engaging in particular charitable
• visit the psychatrist and take counseling
• switching off phones during obligations, activities, or bedtime
• mute it at all times if possible
• spending time with family instead of smartphone
• must limit and control children’s time using phones
• having some therapy sessions

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• writting and reading physically without using techonology aids

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