Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
4937406 | Computers in Human Behavior | 2017 | 7 Pages |
Abstract
In less than a decade, smartphones have transformed how, when, and where people access information. We propose that turning to technology for information may lead individuals to miss out on opportunities to cultivate feelings of social connection. Testing this hypothesis, we asked participants to find an unfamiliar building and randomly assigned them to solve this everyday problem either with or without their smartphones. Compared to those who could not rely on technology, participants who used their smartphones found the building more easily but ended up feeling less socially connected. Although having access to smartphones improved participants' mood by making their task easier, this beneficial effect was diminished by the costs to social connection. Our findings provide the first experimental evidence that the benefits of pervasive connectivity may be undercut when technology supplants social interactions.
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Physical Sciences and Engineering
Computer Science
Computer Science Applications
Authors
Kostadin Kushlev, Jason D.E. Proulx, Elizabeth W. Dunn,