A distraction? Far from it – your smartphone is your best friend | Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Have those psychologists who criticise mobile phone use ever had to IMDb the plot of Tango& Cash to save a friendship?Whether you ’re someone who keeps yours on the table during dinners with friends, or one who gets offended at new-message-checking between courses, there’s no denying that mobile phones cause problems. Tools of distraction and distancing that chip away at our attention spans with every vibration and ping, t hey steadily steal the real connection of person-to-person communication. At least, so say older relatives who comment on your WhatsApp use during family gatherings. And so say the psychologists who worked on the University of British Columbia’s study titled“Smartphone use undermines enjoyment of face-to-face social interactions” academic study.What ’s not irritating and won’t let you down? That true friend, the smartphone … that is, until the battery runs outContinue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Mobile phones Telecoms Technology Smartphones Family Life and style Internet Psychology Science Source Type: news