THEORIES, DATA, AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS A LONGITUDINAL ANALYSIS OF US-NATIONAL-SURVEYS

This article examines the extent to which ownership of mobile communic ations is related to demographic variables and/or functionality needs. The study draws on data from seven national mail or telephone random surveys carried out during the period 1993-1995 and totaling more than 10000 respondents. We found that the key determinants of mobile commu nications ownership were household income, race/ethnic background, nee d to be in touch, and social/work mobility. Further, we found that the pager-only group, the cell phone only group, and the cell phone plus pager group had quire different ownership characteristics. While no lo nger a ''rich man's toy,'' ownership of the cellular telephone is. nev ertheless, still associated with the more affluent, although we found evidence that this income effect was declining. Two important variable s, gender and feelings of overload, did not appear to have any explana tory power. We speculate that ownership of mobile communications is de termined more strongly by social location effects-for example, need to be in touch or being highly mobile-than by gender. Regarding feelings of overload, we found no evidence that ownership of mobile communicat ions generates feelings of overload, controlling for other variables. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.