Cell Phone Etiquette: An AARP Bulletin Poll

Results from this AARP Bulletin poll suggest a generational divide in the cell phone usage habits and preferences of U.S. adults.  Although cell phone users of all ages report answering their phones in a variety of venues, younger ones are more likely than older ones to say they answer their phones in all eight of the places they were asked about, to report using their cell phones while driving, and to say they text while driving.

Younger cell phone users are also more likely than older ones to report being not bothered or being only mildly annoyed when other individuals use their cell phones in public places, while driving, or for texting while conversing with them.  In contrast, older cell phone users said that someone using their cell phone in each of the four scenarios they were asked about would be very annoying to them.

This telephone survey of 1,014 cell phone users ages 18 and older was conducted for AARP by SSRS of Media, Pennsylvania, during April 14-21, 2010.  For more information about this research, please contact Teresa A. Keenan, Ph.D., at 202-434-6274. (15 pages)