Purpose: To see if homo sapiens really need a cell phone, or if Times Square just leads us to think we do.
Objective: Not to use, check, or carry my cell phone for one week. The only time I touched my phone once the experiment started was to hide it from myself behind my lockbox in my room.
Hypothesis: Humans do in fact need a cell phone if they have already had one.
Theory: Cell phones are an addiction, they completely consume the mind when they are not present.
Organization: Data collected will be displayed in chronological order from February 15-February 22, 2008. The second portion of the data collected will be texts, missed calls, and voicemails that accumulates on my phone during the week.
Day 1: February 15, 2008
8:00 am-Felt rather weird not having a phone in my pocket. Was in the library doing some homework. I was worried that I would be late to class because there was not a clock that I could see in the vicinity.
9:55 to 11:05 am-Second class went by fast. Teacher unplugged clock so that we would not know the time.
12:00 to 3:00 pm-The first three hours of work has gone extremely fast
*I, putting it very bluntly, do not know what time it is!*
3:05 pm-I wonder if anyone has tried to call me.
3:55 pm-I am still wondering if anyone has called. I could be missing the vibrations that came with calls and/or texts.
4:45 pm-I informed Dr. Watts of my experiment. She laughed at the idea. She informed that she has sent me a text message earlier.
5:30 pm-I am wondering what the success of the experiment. Will I accidentally sabotage the experiment by grabbing my phone subconsciously in the morning? My habit when taking off in the morning is to confirm that I have my wallet, phone, keys, bag, water bottle, and a lighter. Feels weird purposely removing a chain in the link.
6:05 pm-Could have sworn that I felt a vibration coming from my pocket. Quickly realized that I did not have my cell phone. Was working on an open item when it occurred. A possible human reaction to the comfort of having a cell phone (especially while working) is that when the phone vibrates you can connect to something outside of work while working at a mundane task at hand.
7:00 pm-Boredom has set in, when there is nothing to do at work I can always escape off to small appliances and send a text to someone.
7:23 pm-Realize that when I get off I will not be able to access anyone's phone number unless I am wanting to break the rules of the experiment, and possibly alter the outcome of the data at the end. I also did not alert anyone of the experiment that until it was already underway.
Day 2: February 16, 2008
8:15 am-It felt weird leaving the house again without my phone. Could I have possibly formed a symbiotic relationship with my phone? Decided that I will also log number of texts messages, missed calls, and voicemail messages into bottom of data page.
12:15 pm-Thought I felt the non existent phone in my pocket vibrate. I realized that I had no phone quickly! Do I miss the vibrations? The symbiotic relationship theory is coming to light, especially since I can sense it vibrating when it is on the other side of the room.
1:01 pm-Dr. Watts informed me that she does miss text messaging me while engaged in activities.
4:09 pm-I am off work, and on the way home. I feel like I should call my Grandmother, as it is part of the routine.
4:16 pm-Catch myself contemplating breaking the experiment. Stop before it is too late. I am going to entertain myself on the internet so that I am not tempted to break the rules that have been established to reach success.
6:02 pm-Feel like I am alienating myself from society. I am even isolating myself from my golden retriever.
11:28 pm-Wondered what some of my friends were up too. I could have an answer if I void the experiment.
Day 3: February 17, 2008
8:18 am-On the way to the grocery store, I felt a weird sense that if I got in a wreck, or needed some police assistance I would have to go to a payphone. Cell phones are evil, but are cell phones a necessary evil?
9:52 am-Start to feel a sense of profound sorrow as I watch This Week on ABC and see the list of soldiers that have died in Iraq. I might possibly be going thru cell phone withdrawal. I have a weird feeling down my arms. I am both angry and calm right now.
