Smartphones and Tablets: Regulations, Routines, and Habits of Spanish Families

Abstract

Smartphones and tablets generate familiar challenges to be effectively managed in order to live together properly. The influence of both devices on routines and habits in families is described in this article, analyzing whether there are regulations in place to manage their use and determining the presence of significant differences according to the independent variables analyzed. A cross-sectional quantitative design is developed with a sample of 1,082 subjects from all over Spain. Two measurement scales have been applied relating to routines and habits and to family regulations regarding the use of smartphones and tablets. The results indicate the low impact of devices on intra-family routines and habits, as well as the existence of rules regulating their use in the home, mainly when there are minors and the adults are over 35 years old. It seems that families are aware of the need to regulate the impact of these devices.

Acknowledgments

To the following Parents’ Associations: CEIP La Almadraba (Alicante), Los Pinos de Huercal (CEIP Clara Campoamor, Almería), Association CEIP Santa María Coronada, Badajoz), EscolaItaca (Barcelona), Pere Vila (Barcelona), Paulo Freire (Burgos), Conde Diego Porcelos Institute (Burgos), Cecilio Muñoz Fillol of IES Francisco Nieva (Ciudad Real), Juan de la Cosa (CEIP Prácticas, Huelva), CEIP Sancho Ramírez (Huesca), Gonzalo de Berceo (La Rioja), IES Escultor Daniel (Logroño), Carlos V (Madrid), Colegio Artica (Madrid), Enriqueta Aymer Sagrados Corazones College (Madrid), Mijas Pueblo (IES Villa de Mijas, Málaga), Maestro Ávila College (Salamanca), IES Cabrera Pinto (La Laguna, Tenerife), CEIP Narciso Brito (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), Zipifamiliak (Colegio Zipiriñe, Vizcaya), Los Ibones (Colegio Miralbueno, Zaragoza), la Almadraba, EGIBIDE, and all those others that did not register their name.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Coordinated R + D+I project “Media skills of citizens in emerging digital media (smartphones and tablets): innovative practices and educational-communicative strategies in multiple contexts” (EDU2015-64015-C3-1-R) (MINECO/FEDER), and of the “Media Education Network” of the State Program of Scientific-Technical Research of Excellence, State Sub-Program of Knowledge Generation (EDU201681772-REDT), financed by the European Development Fund. This work is also part of “Alfamed” (Euro-American Network of Researchers), with the support of the R&D Project “Youtubers and instagrammers: Media competition in emerging prosumers” (RTI2018-093303-B-I00), financed by the State Agency for Research of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities and the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER)

Notes on contributors

Irina Salcines-Talledo

Irina Salcines-Talledo is a PhD in education and full professor in the Department of Education at University of Cantabria, Spain. Her research interests include media literacy, formative and shared evaluation in higher education, and emerging methodological trends.

Antonia Ramírez-García

Antonia Ramírez-García is a PhD in education and full professor in the Department of Education at University of Cordoba, Spain. Her research interests include media literacy, counseling, and guidance in education.

Natalia González-Fernández

Natalia González-Fernández is a PhD in pedagogy and full professor in the Department of Education at University of Cantabria, Spain. Her research interests include media literacy, formative and shared evaluation in higher education, emerging methodological trends, and critical think.