Teens prefer celibacy to living without mobiles

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Teenagers would sacrifice their love life rather than their mobile handset, according to the findings of a new survey.

One in three people would not sacrifice their mobile phone for one million pounds or more, with women leading the way on those most likely to refuse, the survey by the Carphone Warehouse and the London School of Economics found.

Most respondents aged between 16 and 24 would rather give up alcohol, chocolate, sex, tea, or coffee than live without their mobile phone for a month.

In contrast, more than 40 per cent of the those aged over 45 would give up the phone simply to be able to have their favourite hot drink.

The online survey polled 1,256 adults aged between 16 and 64.

Some respondents were even convinced by the survey's sponsors to give up their mobiles for a week. Most of the volunteers managed to relax more, work in a more efficient manner and get more organised without their handsets. The guinea pigs also made video diaries revealing the effects of their experiences. These feelings ranged from absolute freedom to lack of control.

Tristia Clarke, group marketing director of Carphone Warehouse said that results of both the survey and ethnographic video diaries highlighted the "complex relationships that people have with their mobile phones feelings of choice versus control."

"These findings provide a unique and valuable insight that previously we have not had access to; for example appreciating the simplest of things like how much people rely on the different functions of a phone in their everyday life," she said.

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