EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SMARTPHONE USE AND SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL AMONG GENERATION Z

Abstract

This study examined how active and passive smartphone use relates to social withdrawal among Generation Z, a cohort that has grown up surrounded by digital technology and for whom smartphones serve as a primary medium of social interaction. Uses and Gratifications Approach was utilized as the theoretical foundation for the research, as it contributes to the understanding of media usage patterns. Based on quantitative survey methodology, the instrument employed for the research was a structured questionnaire. The population of the study was university students, and data were gathered from three universities in Islamabad, Pakistan. The final sample size of the study was 152 respondents, of whom 44% were male while 56% were female. Pearson correlation and regression analyses were used to test relationships among the variables. Findings of the Pearson correlation revealed that there were significant positive correlations between social withdrawal and both active and passive smartphone use. The findings revealed significant positive correlations between social withdrawal and active smartphone use (r = .666) and passive smartphone use (r = .667). The regression model explained 57.4% of the variance in social withdrawal (R^2 = .574). Active smartphone use emerged as a statistically significant positive predictor of social withdrawal (B = .512, p = .02), whereas passive smartphone use showed a positive but statistically insignificant contribution (B = .327, p = .220) when both predictors were considered simultaneously. The study underscores the need to encourage balanced smartphone use and face-to-face interaction among young people, and it contributes to understanding the social consequences of digital engagement among Generation Z in Pakistani universities.