07/31/2018 / By Zoey Sky
Are you always checking your phone out of habit instead of necessity? If your answer is “yes,” it may be time for a digital detox.
According to psychologists in the U.K., checking your phone at least a dozen of times a day can be a sign of unconscious behavior that’s “extremely repetitive.”
A unique study, which was spearheaded by researchers from Lancaster University and the University of Lincoln, is one of only a handful that examined smartphone usage based on what individuals do instead of what they can remember.
Data from other studies have yet to determine if people are “addicted” to smartphones because of over-reliance on their own estimates or beliefs. However, new research concerning smartphone behavior has shown that even if individuals underestimate their smartphone use, their behavior remains consistent. Because of this, researchers can utilize a more accurate approach when examining smartphone behaviors. (Related: Constantly checking your phone actually makes you more stressed…to the point that you get anxious when you’re not “connected”.)
In the study, which was published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, researchers analyzed usage within 13 days via a simple smartphone app. The app creates time stamps when usage begins and ends.
Using this data, the researchers determined the total hours of usage and the number of checks per day. A “phone check” was defined as any usage that lasted less than 15 seconds.
The findings of the study revealed that every person had “repetitive and consistent” smartphone usage. It also revealed that future phone checking frequency can still be determined even with inadequate data.
The findings also revealed that self-report tools like standard questionnaires or surveys can’t predict these behaviors. According to Dr. David Ellis, these methods have previously been confirmed to be inaccurate.
The authors explained that if a person checks their phone at least 80 times in one day, it’s possible that the behavior is also repeated daily.
Dr. Tom Wilcockson, from Lancaster University, commented that being a constant checker could imply the absentminded use of smartphones. This behavior may be “habitual and unconscious.”
Heather Shaw, from the University of Lincoln, noted that this can be due to the fact that smartphone use is automatic and not everyone may accurately remember the act of checking their phones.
Dr. Ellis concluded, “To fully understand the effect of screen time on health and well-being, we probably need to consider measures of smartphone [behavior] as well as self-report.”
If you’re on your phone constantly but you want to try a digital detox, these tips can help you get started:
Learn more about the benefits of a digital detox at Mind.news.
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Tagged Under: addiction, addictive behavior, digital detox, habits, how to, mental health, mind body science, mobile devices, mobile phones, phone stress, repetitive behavior, smartphone addiction, smartphone use, Smartphones, stress