We’re all so hooked onto our smartphones nowadays that being away from them affects us psychologically.
That’s what the researchers from the University of Missouri found in a study published called The Extended iSelf: The Impact of iPhone Separation on Cognition, Emotion and Physiology.
The team gathered 40 iPhone users from a large college to solve two puzzles.
Firstly, they were placed in a cubicle and were told to do a puzzle without their iPhones by their sides. Then, they were told to complete a different puzzle while their phones were out of reach.
The phones were called a few times as they completed the second puzzle, but the participants were not allowed to get up, making them watch and hear the phones ring from afar.
The participants struggled to finish the puzzle while their phones were away, but they were also anxious in general, showing an increase in heart rate and blood pressure.
The researchers concluded that separation from one’s iPhone induces a “lessening of self” and “poor cognitive performance.”
It causes one to lose focus, so it’s best for mobile users to keep their phones with them during exams, meetings or other activities that require a lot of attention.
Perhaps it’d be more accurate to have the phone display texts and social media notifications while the user is away as we all check our phones repeatedly for that reason.
[Source]
