When smartphones burst into commercial markets in the mid-2000s, they pretty much blew the world’s mind. The ability to hold a device the size of your hand and instantly access the Internet from almost anywhere seemed incredible, and it took our connection to technology to a new level. Many people lined up right away to be the first to buy these “magical” (to quote Steve Jobs) devices, but many others held out for a few years, and although smartphones are ubiquitous now, some people still swear by their basic, Internet-free flip phones or landlines.
Of course, some people may have been intrigued by mobile Internet but had limitations that kept them from adopting the technology as soon as they would’ve liked, such as contracts with service providers, budget considerations, and so on. Now, more than a decade later, we have a much better idea of the far-reaching impact, both good and bad, of mobile Internet, smartphones, and tablets, and that knowledge has sent some returning to simpler technology.
But setting those factors aside, why might some personality types have been slower than others to adopt mobile Internet? To find out, we asked our readers if they agreed with the statement, “You were slow to adopt the use of Internet on your mobile phone.”
A mere 22% agreed overall, so it would seem that our 16Personalities community is pretty open to bringing new technologies into their lives. But some patterns emerged in the responses, notably that the Introvert and Observant personality traits correlated to the highest agreement. Let’s dig deeper, starting with the Roles.
Roles
Sentinels and Explorers (24% each agreeing)
Sentinels and Explorers agreed in the highest numbers, showing the influence of their shared Observant trait. Observant personality types tend to take a more habitual, traditional approach to life than their Intuitive counterparts, and their focus on the present makes them more skeptical of the unknown or unproven possibilities of the future.
When new technology becomes available, some Sentinel and Explorer personalities prefer to wait to see how it works for others instead of being the test cases themselves, only choosing to adopt the technology after they’ve seen ample evidence proving its merits.
Diplomats and Analysts (21% and 19%)
As Intuitive personality types, Diplomats and Analysts are all about novelty, experimentation, and innovation. Their natural curiosity makes them more eager than Observant types to try out new technology.
Diplomats were slightly more hesitant than Analysts to adopt mobile Internet, perhaps due to their Feeling trait. Any initial concerns that Diplomat personalities may have had about smartphones, such as how they could affect the quality of their real-world relationships with people, would certainly be heightened by the emotional sensitivity associated with the Feeling trait.
Analysts, on the other hand, are Thinking personality types who evaluate things more logically and critically. Many are technologically inclined to begin with, and if they could envision the ways that mobile Internet could improve their efficiency, their access to information, and their ability to communicate, that would be reason enough for them to try it.
Strategies
Confident Individualism (27% agreeing)
Among the Strategies, Confident Individualists were the most likely to agree, although they still did so in low numbers. Introversion is the key factor here. Introverts usually prefer simplicity in their environment (e.g., a phone should be for phone calls), and smartphones are not exactly simple. The added sounds, light, and motion – not to mention social interaction – that come with having full-blown Internet on your phone could be a turnoff for some Introverted personality types.
Confident Individualists specifically place a great deal of importance on being able to depend on themselves, on their own skills, rather than on tools and technologies that are constantly changing and often unreliable. Furthermore, as Assertive personalities, they’re not particularly interested in following the crowd.
Assertive Adventurers (ISFP-A) agreed at the highest rate of any personality type (33%). Adventurers are actually more interested in experimentation and change than most of their other Observant fellows, but in a specific sort of way: they seek personal growth. Focused on expressing themselves artistically and creatively, technological tools might not always be high on their radar. Until they have a specific need for a new technology, it may hold little interest, no matter how popular or useful it is.
Constant Improvement (23%)
Constant Improvers are also Introverts, so they may have the same reservations about adopting mobile Internet as Confident Individualists. As Turbulent personality types, though, they care more about what others think of them. A Constant Improver might opt to buy a smartphone simply to avoid being perceived as a stick-in-the-mud.
People Mastery and Social Engagement (20% each)
Unlike Introverts, Extraverted People Masters and Social Engagers are drawn to external stimulation. These personality types favor trying new things, welcoming visual excitement and tools for social connection alike. In the case of these two Strategies, enthusiasm for enhanced connections to the outside world outweighs the influence that their Assertive or Turbulent Identities may have in their decision to adopt mobile Internet.
Assertive Entrepreneurs (ESTP-A) and Assertive Commanders (ENTJ-A) tied as the personality types least likely to agree with our statement (16% each). Steve Jobs, perhaps the most influential individual in the smartphone revolution, was a Commander, so it’s really no surprise to see this personality type embracing mobile Internet. Commanders and Entrepreneurs are both natural leaders and true innovators who love to live on the cutting edge, not just in terms of technology, but in terms of change in general.
Conclusions
Instant access to the World Wide Web anywhere we go is the reality we’re living in today, and based on the results of this study, the vast majority of personality types are more than okay with that.
But when mobile Internet first came along, there was no way to know for sure how it would change our lives and the world around us, so some of us may have taken longer to accept and adopt the technology. Some personality types, especially Observant types, tend to be wary of the unknown. Others, such as Introverts, just like to keep things as simple as possible.
In certain moments, we may all feel like we have a love-hate relationship with our devices. For all the positive things that they bring to our lives, it never hurts to take a step back and disconnect for a while. Take in the sunrise and a cup of coffee in the morning, instead of catching up on your social media feeds as soon as you wake. Enjoy a device-free dinner with your family or friends. Use your smartphone to make an actual phone call! A little time offline can go a long way.
What about you? Were you slow to adopt mobile Internet on your phone? How do you feel about it now? Leave a comment below!