Screen Time Stakes
How often do you check your phone everyday? I’m sure everyone can relate to this question and react somewhat queasily. If you’re someone looking to ease up on their screen time, then this recent innovative study conducted by researchers at Duke University and Georgetown University will be of great interest. Undoubtedly, our phones are set up with an express purpose to connect us to the external world. Where does it all begin? Notifications. They’re inseparable from our devices (unless disabled of course), but generally speaking make up a large portion of our mobile experiences. Due to the nature of them representing our sociability and their variable existence, they are prone to cause disturbances in our psychological well-being. An apt metaphor to this would be a slot machine at the casino which also presents rewards at variable or unpredictable times.
Consequently, phone use has been a large area of interest when studying mental health. In this study, researchers sought to explore the utility of an app that batches notifications for specified delivery during the day, and its effects, if any, on the well being of its users. To do this, they recruited approximately 250 individuals to participate. A portion downloaded the app for use, another did not, and the last group disabled notifications. By filling out daily surveys, the users were able to provide their psychological and health status continually to the researchers to analyze and interpret. Also, the app was able to record phone use behaviours (unlocks), which provided an additional dimension to the study findings.
Those who utilized the app reported greater attention, productivity, mood and felt more “in control” of their phones. Batching the notifications in larger chunks seemed to be more effective in creating these positive outcomes. For those who weren’t able to use the app and disabled notifications, there were reports of higher levels of anxiety, and the phenomenon that is widely known as “FOMO” (fear of missing out).
Since batching notifications by the hour was not as effective as batching them for delivery 3 times a day, it seems as if individuals enjoy benefits from having an extended break in between acknowledging notifications. This break may be a predictable reward that awaits them, as a “breather” and a reward after a period of productivity and focus on other tasks. This app managed to remove the typical variable nature of when we receive notifications which could lower our cognitive load of constantly worrying if we’re receiving any notifications. Reduced inattention was at the heart of all these positive outcomes. It was also evident that turning off notifications wasn’t a suitable approach to phone use as it simply made individuals more distracted.
These study findings are extremely intriguing with the app’s proven utility for combatting feelings of worry, anxiety, and maladaptive phone use. In targeting the harmful variable nature of phone notifications, these researchers managed to prove the effectiveness of substituting a more predictable nature of notification delivery. This app holds great promise for widespread dissemination for those seeking to be more productive, enhance well being, and be in greater control of their devices. Perhaps phone developers can even begin implementing these batching features from the get go.
Source:
Fitz, N., Kushlev, K., Jagannathan, R., Lewis, T., Paliwal, D., & Ariely, D. (2019). Batching smartphone notifications can improve well-being. Computers in Human Behavior, 101, 84-94.
Comentários