Using your smartphone to relax and pass time may be associated with negative feelings, lack of control and a reduced sense of purpose in life, a study warns.
The study, published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior, is the first to thoroughly evaluate how smartphone use is associated with measures of subjective and psychological wellbeing.
Researchers at Deakin University in Australia showed habitual smartphone use and entertainment use — to relax, escape and pass time — were the best predictors of lower wellbeing.
The survey of over 500 students found problematic smartphone use was associated with feelings of negative emotions, lack of control, a reduced sense of purpose in life, and a ability to resist social pressure.
“There’s a constant stream of news and entertainment in our life now, and if that content is not necessarily positive it might be contributing to technological overload or techno-exhaustion,” said lead researcher Sharon Horwood from Deakin’s School of Psychology.
“While there has been some analysis of smartphone use and subjective wellbeing, this study goes into much greater depth,” Horwood said in a statement. Past research has examined wellbeing in terms of life satisfaction and whether people tend to experience more positive emotions than negative emotions.
“This research offers a more complete picture of what makes the ‘good life’ including positive social relationships, a sense of personal growth, autonomy, and having a sense of control over one’s life,” Horwood said. (PTI)
