Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

acceptedVersion

Publication Date

11-2016

Abstract

Despite a huge spike in smartphone overuse, the cognitive and emotional consequences of smartphone overuse have rarely been examined empirically. In two studies, we investigated whether separation from a smartphone influences state anxiety and impairs higher-order cognitive processes, such as executive functions. We found that smartphone separation causes heightened anxiety, which in turn mediates the adverse effect of smartphone separation on all core aspects of executive functions, including shifting (Experiment 1) and inhibitory control and working-memory capacity (Experiment 2). Interestingly, impaired mental shifting was evident regardless of the extent of smartphone addiction, whereas smartphone addiction significantly moderated the negative effect of smartphone separation on inhibitory control, as assessed by the Stroop task. The study sheds light on cognitive mechanisms that may underlie some of these negative consequences of smartphone overuse.

Keywords

Anxiety, Cognition, Executive functions, Smartphone addiction, Smartphone separation

Discipline

Cognition and Perception | Cognitive Psychology | Communication Technology and New Media

Research Areas

Psychology

Publication

Computers in Human Behavior

Volume

64

First Page

329

Last Page

336

ISSN

0747-5632

Identifier

10.1016/j.chb.2016.07.002

Publisher

Elsevier

Embargo Period

7-14-2017

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.07.002

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