Mobile Communication

Abstract

This article is a review of mobile communication from a social perspective. It sets out a discussion of the definition of mobile communication considering different ways to consider this phenomenon. It is followed by an analysis of current and emerging directions in mobile communication research. This includes an examination of how the mobile phone allows for individual addressability and the interlacing of activities. These characteristics of the mobile phone mean that it can be used for nuanced microcoordination. Mobile communication has been adopted by different groups in different ways. This article examines three of these groups, namely, business use, teens, and among women in developing countries. The article considers the development of location-based services, the ways in which the mobile phone develops social cohesion, and how it is becoming a structural part of social interaction. Finally, the article considers several methodological issues associated with the mobile phone.