It’s not uncommon to do many things at the same time. The smartphone in particular is often involved when we are actually doing completely different things. This also includes the Cell phone usagewhen the television is on, the radio is on or when meeting friends. But: It is precisely this handling of the device that will cause difficulties afterwards.
Cell phone use, television, etc.: This can happen
We know that spending too much time on your smartphone is not always a good thing. But we don’t really care because the small device offers numerous advantages in everyday life. It can accompany us everywhere, making all of the information that is most important to us ingeniously portable. So why give up the luxury of constant cell phone use?
Researchers at Stanford University have found a convincing argument for this. At least the use of cell phones while consuming other media such as watching television, radio, etc. should be reconsidered. In their study, which was published in October 2020 in the journal Nature published the scientists describe at least a not insignificant connection:
If you use too many media at the same time, you may be damaging your memory and ability to concentrate.
This is shown by the study on cell phone use etc.
The US psychologists and neuropsychologists examined a total of 80 test subjects between the ages of 18 and 26 who were given various memory exercises. The researchers measured the subjects’ pupil movements and brain waves using EEG.
Constricted pupil diameters before performing a task, for example, are said to be associated with slower reaction times and wandering thoughts, explains the study’s lead author, psychologist Kevin Madore.
The participants first had to look at photos of objects on a screen and repeat this after a ten-minute break. Now the question was whether something had changed or whether they had been shown the objects shown before.
Another question was intended to clarify whether the test subjects regularly sat in front of the television, surfed the Internet and wrote news at the same time.
For now, results only show correlation
The result of the data analysis: Those who said they had engaged in media multitasking showed less attention and forgot images more quickly than others. What is important is that to date this has only been a correlative and not a causal observation.
Although it can be proven that there is a connection between poorer memory and media multitasking, the latter does not necessarily have to be the reason for it. Other experts such as the psychologist and cognitive scientist Simon Hanslmayr from the University of Glasgow, so welt.de, still assume that simultaneous use of tablets, televisions and cell phones can influence memory.
Did you know: Cell phone use can also cause interesting problems in other areas of life. Taking your smartphone with you to the toilet is absolutely not recommended. Others point out that cell phone use is supposed to make you stupid. And your smartphone can even harm you at work.
Sources: World, Nature: “Memory failure predicted by attention lapsing and media multitasking(2020)
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