THE ATTITUDES OF STUDENTS TOWARD THE USE OF SMARTPHONES

Objectives: The aim of the research was to examine the attitudes of students regarding the use of smartphones during the day and at night, their impact on the quality of sleep and the use of social networks and communication tools. Methods: In the research, a survey questionnaire constructed for the needs of this research was used. It consisted of two independent and nine dependent variables. The research was conducted by placing a questionnaire on a Google form. 327 respondents, students studying in Croatia, took part in the research. Findings: The results of the research show that respondents use their smartphones for an average of 3,16 hours a day; they visit the social network Instagram most often (54,1 %), and Snapchat the least (1,5 %). When communicating, most of them use WhatsApp (75,8 %), while Telegram is used by only one respondent (0,3 %). 84.1 % of respondents use their smartphone before going to sleep; almost 89 % of respondents say that their smartphone never wakes them up during the night. Novelty: Mobile phones have become part of everyday life, especially among younger generations. The majority of communication takes place precisely through these devices, communicating through a handful of tools that are available.