Technology usage and social life – do teenagers have a say?ConsumerLabwww.ericsson.com/consumerlab

Teenagers have more say in how and when to use technology than who to socialize withThere are few parents who let their children decide entirely who they can socialize with, even at the age of 17. meeting friends in real life seems to create more concerns than meeting friends online.

When it comes to technology, children have more sayeven if children have more say in how to use technology, parents are still much involved in how and when their young teenagers are using computers, mobile phones and Facebook. Facebook and “how to use the computer” are the two things parents seem to have strict rules about, especially for those aged 13-14. around 30 percent of parents typically make the decision for their children at this age.

Parents decide completely

both decides

Decide completely yourself

Parents mostly decide

Decide mostly yourself

source: ericsson ConsumerLab on-line study 2011 with 2000 us teenagers 13-17 years old.

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

13 14 15 16 17

Socialize with

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

13 14 15 16 17

Mobile phones

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

13 14 15 16 17

Computer

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

13 14 15 16 17

Facebook

Age and parenting style mattersThe parents’ decision-making for their teenagers is a combination of their consideration of the child’s age and their parenting style. by understanding the parenting style, we can also predict how decisions are made about technology usage.

apparently something happens when children turn 16, as many more of them can make their own decisions at that age. most parents let go of full control at this age, except for the more authoritarian parents, who retain their say in all age groups.

ericsson ConsumerLab has translated the teenagers’ view into a model built on maccoby and martin’s theory of family styles.

source: ericsson ConsumerLab on-line study 2011 with 2000 us teenagers 13-17 years old.

noticeably, the majority of teenagers and parents jointly decide things (democratic parenting style). and there is hardly any difference in how the parents make decisions for the different genders.

Five pArenting StyleS Seen FroM the teenAgerS’ vieW

Authoritarian – The parents have strict rules, with limitations on not only how to use certain devices but also where you can use them. (9%)

Directive – These parents are demanding but also responsive. (14%)

Democratic – Their decision-making process is more participatory and more inclusive. The parents and children decide together. (50%)

permissive – allow considerable self-regulation, and avoid confrontation. The children decide a lot themselves. (15%)

low involvement – These parents are low in both responsiveness and demands. The children make their own decisions. (12%)

Authoritarian

Lowinvolvement

Demanding

Undemanding

Responsive Unresponsive

Democratic

Permissive

Directive

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What are you allowed to have in your own room?around 85-90 percent of teenagers between 13-17 are allowed to have their mobile and iPod touch in their room. The great majority also have a TV in their room. and there is no difference between ages or gender.

it is a tough call to get permission to use your computer in your own roomWith the computer there is a different story. only half of the 13 year olds were allowed to have a computer in their room. even at the age of 17, 34 percent of boys and 28 percent of girls are not allowed to have a computer in their room. Clearly there is a difference in how parents view the mobile and the computer.

parents – Watch out!around 40 percent of the us teenagers in the age group 13-17 have a smartphone. and if you are not using one today, you certainly would like to have one.

This means that most teenagers in a few years’ time will have a smartphone that can be used in the same way as a computer. It is time for parents to reevaluate the mobile phone or maybe even more important: to learn how it works.

ownership of mobile phones

source: ericsson ConsumerLab on-line study 2011 with 2000 us teenagers 13-17 years old.

Children “wear the technology” as the adults will never fully catch upChildren’s knowledge about technology mostly exceeds that of their parents – and that gives them a natural advantage in the decision process. nowadays it is not uncommon for children to help out in both purchase decisions as well as solving technology issues in the home.

This might explain the generation gap in how much parents understand how technology can and is being used by their children. How many understand that an iPod touch or mobile phone can be used as a computer?

This might mean that it will be harder for the authoritarian and directive parents to retain full control – because their children will be one step ahead both in technology knowledge and usage.

even if the internet is used by all age groups, there is still a difference in how important it is for different generations. a total of 57 percent of teenagers completely agree that “it is important to have access to the internet wherever I am,” compared to only 24 percent of the seniors. Teenagers do not have a problem using new technology while 40 percent of the seniors need help using it.

source: ericsson ConsumerLab Infocom study 2011.

The key learnings are that teenagers’ technology usage not only depends on their age, but also on what parenting style their parents have. another important factor is what knowledge the parents themselves have of technology, which will help to form their opinions and, in turn, influence their children’s technology usage.

32

55

13

32

60

14

44

53

15

42

55

16

48 49

170

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Smartphone Regular phone

24%

41%35%

23%

57%

10%0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%Seniors Parents Teenagers

For me to use a new technology product, somebody has to show me how to use it

It’s important for me to be able to access the Internet wherever I am