READING BEHAVIOR IN ACADEMIA: DOES SMARTPHONE OVERUSE MATTER?

Abstract

Reading is an essential skill that should be developed in any culture and an integral part of the educational infrastructure of any society. On the other hand, reading habits in Nigeria are hindered  by   several  factors,  such  as  mobile  devices'  rapidly   advancing  technological capabilities. The present  study examined over-dependency on  smartphones  as a potential variable  that  could  account  for  the  variations  in  reading  behavior  among  students.  Two hundred and fifty-two undergraduates enrolled in three public higher education institutions in Enugu State participated in the survey. The respondents completed a self-report measure of the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV) and Reading Behavior Scale. The simple  regression  analysis  performed  on  the  data  revealed  that   smartphone  overuse statistically significantly correlated with the student's reading behavior β = .66. The findings suggest that the hypothesis that the prevalence of smartphone overuse would significantly predict reading behavior among students was correct and warranted more investigation. The practical implications and recommendations are discussed.