Throughout the past millennium, technological advances have continuously altered the way we live and how we experience the world around us. Arguably, the development and refining of cell phones has altered our lives more so than any other technological advancement. This is apparent in the usage statistics of cellphones; according to the Pew Research Center, approximately 95 percent of the US population owns some form of a cell phone (Pewinternet.org). It is very likely that this number will steadily increase until it reaches nearly 100 percent.
With this overwhelming prevalence of cell phone usage, we've seen a paradigm shift in the way we communicate and interact with our world. Our relationships can now be maintained through social media sites such as Facebook. We can access services and goods with the click of a button through services such as Amazon and DoorDash. It is safe to say that cell phones have catalyzed increased accessibility to tangible and intangible resources in a way that we never believed imaginable. While the luxuries that cell phones provide us are abundant, there are several drawbacks to our societies' increased dependence on mobile technology. This website aims to explore the negative consequences of cell phone use on psychological well-being, performance, and relationship formation with an emphasis on empirical research. Scroll below to explore several consequences of cell phone use! |
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Sleep quality may not be the first consequence that comes to mind when examining cell phone use, however, the research supporting it is compelling. There is a strong scientific basis to this consequence that cites the influence of hormones and mental processes. Additionally, empirical research supports an influence of cell phone use on sleep quality and length amongst different age groups.
Cognitive Ability |
Emotional distress is a consequence that our society seeks to avoid at all costs. The fact that the majority of us have our phone within several feet of us is not conducive to reducing the amount of emotional distress we experience. This section of our website explores the relationship between cell phone use and negative mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety.
Relationships |
We all seek to be as cognitively sharp as possible, but do we ever consider the impact that cell phone use has on our cognitive performance? Indeed, cell phone use impacts the way we perform in vital environments such as work and academia; not only does it serve as a distraction for us as individuals, it also distracts those around us. Explore this section of the website to view empirical research that looks at the relationship between cell phone use and cognitive ability.
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Not only does increased dependence one mobile technology directly impact us as individuals, it also impacts the way we form relationships with others. With online dating apps and social media (Tinder, Bumble, Twitter, etc.), it is becoming more difficult than ever to focus on the person that is right in front of us. View this section of the site to learn how cell phone use influences our development and maintenance of relationships.
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