The Mere Presence of One’s Own Smartphone Reduces Available Cognitive Capacity

This claim sounds unpleasant to many people, I'm sure, but that’s the takeaway finding from a new study from the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin.

Here is the abstract:

"Our smartphones enable—and encourage—constant connection to information, entertainment, and each other. They put the world at our fingertips, and rarely leave our sides. Although these devices have immense potential to improve welfare, their persistent presence may come at a cognitive cost. In this research, we test the “brain drain” hypothesis that the mere presence of one’s own smartphone may occupy limited-capacity cognitive resources, thereby leaving fewer resources available for other tasks and undercutting cognitive performance. Results from two experiments indicate that even when people are successful at maintaining sustained attention—as when avoiding the temptation to check their phones—the mere presence of these devices reduces available cognitive capacity. Moreover, these cognitive costs are highest for those highest in smartphone dependence. We conclude by discussing the practical implications of this smartphone-induced brain drain for consumer decision-making and consumer welfare."

► The study "Brain Drain: The Mere Presence of One’s Own Smartphone Reduces Available Cognitive Capacity", publishedn in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research >>
http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/691462

► Read the article in UTNews>> https://news.utexas.edu/2017/06/26/the-mere-presence-of-your-smartphone-reduces-brain-power

► Image by Shutterstock

#Brain, #Neuroscience, #Research, #Smartphone, #CognitiveCapacity