Citation

Leynes PA, Flynn J, Mok BA. Cyberpsychol. Behav. Soc. Netw. 2018; 21(4): 248-253.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, The College of New Jersey , Ewing, New Jersey.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Mary Ann Liebert Publishers)

DOI

10.1089/cyber.2017.0630

PMID

29624445

Abstract

The effect of smartphone use on cognitive function was quantified using measures of neural activity called event-related potentials (ERPs). Participants engaged in a primary task ( Exp. 1a : executive function; Exp. 1b : gambling) with no distraction and while using their smartphone to read online news articles. Smartphone use slowed behavioral responses and reduced the P300 ERP amplitudes by ∼50 percent and provides evidence that smartphones have a large distracting effect. Experiment 2 compared executive function ERPs from smartphone-experienced users ( Exp. 1a ) with those collected on smartphone-naive subjects (collected in late 2006 and early 2007; Scisco et al.). This comparison provides preliminary evidence that smartphone use may be improving visual spatial attention. Collectively, the data highlight some costs and benefits of smartphone use.

Language: en

Keywords

distraction; event-related potentials; smartphone