Attitude Toward the Smartphone (Portability)

What it measures

A five-item scale measuring the perceived portability and constant accessibility of a consumer's smartphone — the ease with which the device can be taken anywhere, the readiness of access to its functions, and its constant physical proximity throughout the day. Items capture both the physical portability dimension (going everywhere with the user) and the functional accessibility dimension (always ready to use at a moment's notice), reflecting the device's role as a continuously available companion.

Response format

7-point Likert

Scale items

• Wherever I go, my phone goes.
• My phone is easy to take anywhere.
• I carry my phone with me most of the day.
• I feel I can access my phone's functionalities at a moment's notice.
• It is easy to reach for my phone when I need it.

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

Single alpha: α = .88 — Melumad & Pham (2020, Study 1). VALIDITY: Not formally addressed. Scale created by Melumad (2021, personal correspondence). Part of a six-scale smartphone battery alongside Haptic Pleasure (SMHP), Privacy (SMPR), Security Comfort (SMSC), Private Space (SMPS), and Stress Coping (SMST).

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Melumad, Shiri and Michel Tuan Pham (2020). The smartphone as a pacifier: A psychological and physiological investigation of its effects on stressed consumers. Journal of Marketing Research, 57(2), 236–256.

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