US teenagers’ perceptions and awareness of digital technology: a focus group approach

Scholars have recently begun investigating teenagers’ perceptions of digital devices and awareness of the functions they serve in their lives (Campbell, 2007: Cheong, 2008; Heim et al., 2007; Ling, 2004). This article aligns with research on adolescents’ uses of digital media devices by conducting focus groups with 80 middle- and high-school teenagers. The chief objective of this research was to further our understanding of what young people think about digital devices (e.g. cell phones, video game systems, the internet) and the functions they serve in their lives. Four themes emerged from 11 focus group interviews: (1) an awareness of digital devices; (2) a sense of temporal displacement; (3) social functions; and (4) a palpable sense of risk associated with using them. These themes resonate with the current literature.