6. Conclusion
6.2 Contributions
Smartphones are an integral part of our rapidly transforming lifestyle. This study looked at themes of constant connectivity, phone attachment, perception of control, and shared expectations through the lens of Goffman’s impression management theory. It compared native U.S. student’s phone behavior with that of Chinese international students. The results reveal that both groups share common ground in their evaluation of notification content: what types of notifications they find annoying and which ones they find most valuable or usable. Additionally, both groups had mixed perceptions of control, and mixed patterns of receptivity. Where they differed was largely in the sources of notifications. Chinese international students mainly interacted with WeChat notifications. American students typically interacted with a wider range of communications apps.
6.3 Implications
This study is relevant to the field of ubiquitous computing because the number of devices that will be connected to the internet will likely increase in the coming years. For the devices to be useful, they need to communicate to humans and the other connected devices the right information at the right time. As a result, there will no doubt be new methods for these devices to communicate with people. The smartphone is a test case for what is to come.
This study was as much about people’s interaction as it was about human-computer interaction. It is often said that the most successful technologies are those that are invisible. The point of notifications is to attract your attention to the technology. In this way, the interruptive behavior of notifications makes it
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more challenging for users to be engaged in conversations with others but also to be mindful. As much as we want to believe that we can distribute our attention in multiple areas, it is not the case.
This study helps us learn about the notification management component of the user experience. The insights can inform future design decisions for smartphone notification systems.
6.4 Future studies
The following research questions demonstrate directions to be explored in future research. -How do users orchestrate notifications on multiple devices, i.e. smartwatch, smartphone, and computer? How effective is each channel of information at communicating the content of the notification? What types of notifications should be received on each device? How should the devices communicate with each other?
-How are health-related notifications evaluated for privacy?
-How aware are users of their phone attachment? How does their perceived behavior align with their actual behavior?
-What makes a smartphone notification relevant?
-Why do users feel there is a need for “performance” (e.g. appearing busy) in certain social environments?
6.5 Design Recommendations
- Analyze usability of system settings. Many participants were confused about how to change a certain setting or were unaware about what was possible to them. Transit, email, advertisements, social, and reminder apps were among those mentioned of which participants wished they knew how to configure.
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-Re-think red badges. This type of notification was by far the most disliked. They are frustrating because they do not signal information about what the notifications contain, only the number of
notifications. A video camera would have been useful to capture participants’ expressions when they were describing the red badges.
-Group notifications based on app category. Users described how when they were inundated notifications, it was easy to miss the important ones. If the notifications were already grouped by category or platform, it would be easier for them to prioritize. The structure principle of design states that related things should be grouped together and unrelated things should be separated.
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7.
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8.
Appendix
RESEARCH QUESTIONS Overarching research question:
1) How do people make sense of and manage smartphone notifications? Sub-questions:
1) How do people evaluate the importance of a smartphone notification?
2) What strategies do people adapt in order to regulate smartphone notifications? 3) How are smartphone notifications shaping and being shaped by social expectations?
51 NOTIFICATION TYPE EXAMPLES
There are different types of notifications, from sound alerts, visual alerts, or haptic alerts. The notifications below are a sample of notifications from Apple iPhones.
Figure 1. Message and email notifications on an iPhone lock screen
Figure 2. A reminders notification appearing when another app is open inside an iPhone
Figure 3. The red circles above the app icons are red badges
Figure 4. News notification on an iPhone lock screen
52 CONSENT FORM
Consent Form University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Research Information Sheet IRB Study #: 17-3256
Study Title: The Impact of Social Norms on Users’ Smartphone Notification Management Strategies
Principal Investigator: Cami Goray
The purpose of this study is to see how people manage their smartphone notifications. You are being asked to take part in a research study because you are a University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill undergraduate or graduate student.
Being in a research study is completely voluntary. You can choose not to be in this research study. You can also say yes now and change your mind later.
If you agree to take part in this research, you will be asked to answer some questions about what notifications you receive on your smartphones and the strategies you use to manage them. If you choose to also participate in the diary observations portion of this study, you would complete a survey twice a day about your experience reacting to notifications. We expect that 20 students will take part in this research study.
The possible risks to you in taking part in this research are: ● Potential loss of confidentiality of data
The possible benefits to you for taking part in this research are: ● Contribution to generalizable knowledge
● Self-awareness of smartphone notification management
To protect your identity as a research subject, the research will not be stored with your name, the researchers will not share your information with anyone. In any publication about this research, your name or other private information will not be used.
If you have any questions about this research, please contact the Investigator named at the top of this form by calling (919) 610-2315 or emailing P.I. Cami Goray [email protected]. If you have questions or concerns about your rights as a research subject, you may contact the UNC Institutional Review Board at 919-966-3113 or by email to [email protected].
53 INTERVIEW AND DIARY STUDY QUESTIONS
(This is only a list of the potential questions. Most questions were developed during the interviews.)
Pre-session interview:
Background on phone:
1. What type of phone do you own?
2. What do you like or dislike about your smartphone? 1. How would you rate your attachment to your smartphone?
Inventory of notifications:
1. For what apps do you receive notifications on your smartphone?
2. When you download an app, what prompts you to accept receiving notifications? What are you thinking? What influences your decision?
3. Are there any apps that you have downloaded notifications for, but never read or act on them? 4. Do you customize any settings for notifications? If so, why?
5. Are there any notifications that you have retroactively permanently disabled? Why? Notification response behavior:
1. Do you have any personal strategies for how you answer smartphone notifications? 2. Do you find any notifications distracting? If so, which ones and why?
3. Do you find any notifications useful? If so, which ones and why? Post-session interview:
1. Describe a time that that you felt pressured to react to a notification.
a. Where did the pressure come from? Where do they originate: Organizational norms? Friends? Family? Power dynamics?
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2. Describe a time when you limited your smartphone’s ability to alert you.
3. In what ways did you make yourself more available (or responsive) to notifications? Why? 4. At what times or in what settings were you most responsive? Least responsive?
5. Reflecting on your behavior over the past week, did you notices patterns in how you perceived the notifications? (Show answers in diary observations for recorded participants recorded thoughts and feelings).
6. Did they ever find yourself checking their phone out of habit?
7. Overall, do you feel satisfied with how you receive smartphone notifications? Why or why not?
8. Is there anything else about your experience that you would like to share? 9. Do you have any questions for me about the study?
55 Diary Study Questions:
57 RECRUITMENT EMAIL
Smartphone Notifications Management Study
Be part of a research study that is investigating how people’s perceptions of social norms impacts their smartphone notification management strategies.Procedure:
You may choose to participate in one of two ways.
OPTION 1: Interview
up to 45 mins
OPTION 2: Interview & Diary Study Observations
pre-study brief (15 mins) + 1 week of diary study observations about smartphone notifications (2 surveys/day) + post-study interview (30-45 mins)
Compensation:
Participants who complete OPTION 1 will receive a $10 Starbucks gift card.
Participants who complete OPTION 2 (submitting at least 10 surveys) will receive a $20 Starbucks gift card.
Eligibility:
Participants must be currently pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree at UNC- Chapel Hill and be between 18 and 25 years old.
Participants must own a smartphone.
Participation in this study is voluntary. You do not have to participate if you don’t want to. This research has been reviewed by the UNC Institutional Review Board, IRB Study #: 17-3256.
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Contact:
For more information, please contact Cami Goray. [email protected]