Understanding the deep structure use of mobile phones – an attachment perspective

Users rely heavily on mobile phones as multi-purpose devices to support all kinds of tasks. This study conceptualises mobile phone deep structure use and aims at unveiling such behaviour. Towards this end, this study goes beyond the traditional technology usage theories based on rationality and instrumentality. It is replaced by a relationship-based theory, the attachment theory, to investigate how users’ attachment to mobile phones is formed and how such attachment influences mobile phone deep structure use. A survey approach was adopted to test the research model empirically. The results showed that mobile functional dependence and mobile identity constituted the two dimensions of mobile attachment, which significantly affected mobile phone deep structure use. Mobile functional dependence was formed based on the two enabling factors (perceived functional flexibility and perceived mobility). Mobile identity was formed based on the two enriching factors (self-expressive symbolism and categorical symbolism). Both mobile functional dependence and mobile identity were influenced by the gratifying factor, design aesthetics. This study has made contribution to the literature of mobile phone usage by clarifying the special characteristics of mobile phone usage context, proposing a new theoretical perspective and constructing a nomological network of the mobile attachment construct.