A new study has found that using a cell phone during a break from work nearly eliminates the benefits of resting and also reduces task performance.
A team led by Associate Professor Terri Kurtzberg of the Rutgers Business School in the U.S. published a research report with these findings in the 'Journal of Behavioral Addictions'.
According to a press release published online (www.eurekalert.org) on the 19th, the research team conducted an experiment with 414 undergraduate students from the university.
All participants were given a 'word puzzle' test consisting of 20 items, and only some students were allowed to take a short break in the middle. The students who took a break were asked to choose one of three options—a cell phone, a newspaper circular, or a computer—to shop for items within a certain budget.
As a result, the group that chose the cell phone had the highest level of mental depletion, and their problem-solving ability after the break declined the most.
This group took about 19% longer to solve the remaining problems after the break than the groups that used a computer or newspaper. However, the number of problems they solved correctly was, on average, 22% lower than the other groups.
The problem-solving efficiency and speed of the group that used a cell phone were largely similar to those of the students who took no break at all. In fact, the number of problems solved by the cell phone group after the break was only slightly higher than what the no-break students solved in the same amount of time.
Professor Kurtzberg noted, "It's important to know the consequences of reaching for your phone whenever you have a free moment," adding, "That behavior is more distracting and makes it harder to get back to the task at hand."
She continued, "Just looking at your phone raises the thought of checking messages, connecting with people, and accessing rejuvenating information," emphasizing that "the way a cell phone provides such stimuli is different from looking at a desktop or laptop screen."
/Yonhap News
