TSPS MAR APR 2024 FINAL - Flipbook - Page 14
SAFETY
SMARTPHONES
ARE DISTRACTING,
EVEN WHEN
NOT IN USE
ur lives have been changed by smartphones, for the
to focus and solve problems. Research has been done on the
better, and they have changed our lives in ways that
“brain drain” hypothesis that the presence of one’s own smartare worse for us as well as for others around us. Smart
phone may occupy already limited capacity cognitive resources
phones encourage and enable constant connection to informawhich reduces our cognitive performance as well as the resourction, entertainment, and to each other. These devices have trees available for other tasks. We are only capable of processing
a small amount of information at any given time, which shapes
mendous potential to improve us, yet their constant presence
our behaviors from in the moment performance and decision
can be a distraction for a user not paying attention to the situmaking, to pursuit of long-term goals and self-regulation.
ation around them- from walking while reading or texting on a
In two experiments conducted several years ago, the hypothesmartphone to a driver who should give their undivided attention to the road and their surroundings. We all can be distracted
sis that the mere presence of one’s own smartphone reduces the
by smartphones far too easily.
available cognitive capacity was tested. In the 昀椀rst experiment,
When we add a smart phone to our already busy, distracting
one group of participants were asked to place their smartphone
world, we are assured that our focus on the situations that surdevices nearby, in sight and face down. A second group was
asked to place their smartphones in their pocket or their bag,
round us will be lacking. Using a smart phone while doing anyand a third group was asked to place their smartphones in a
thing else is obviously distracting. But we may be surprised by
separate room. All groups had their smartstudies that found that simply having a smart
phone in our presence can negatively affect
phones on silent and no vibration so their
THESE RESULTS SUGGEST
our cognitive abilities, or our mental funcdevices would make no sounds. Participants
THAT
AS
SMARTPHONE
in all groups were then asked to complete
tions like perception, memory, judgement,
PRESENCE INCREASES,
math problems along with simultaneousand problem solving.
AVAILABLE COGNITIVE
Problem solving is what land surveyors do,
ly updating and remembering a randomly
CAPACITY DECREASES.
we solve land boundary problems. One of our
generated letter sequence. Participants were
most precious resources is human attention,
also asked to complete a questionnaire that
or the attention that we pay to our work. Emincluded items related to their experiences
in
the
lab
and
their
own beliefs about the connection between
ployers pay employees for their experience, skill, the work they
smartphones and performance, and a series of questions on
perform, and for their attention and creativity. When anything
gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, and information about their
reduces or takes our attention away from work, we’re not as
cellphone make, modes and data plan.
productive, and that is what we are paid to be. Smartphones alResults of the tests indicated that
low us access to social media, web browsing, messaging, shopparticipants
whose smartphones were
ping and more, and the problem of users spending more and
in a separate room performed signi昀椀more time on a smartphone is quickly growing worse.
“We all understand the joys of our always weird world- the
cantly better than the other groups.
connections, the validations, the laughs…the info. …But we are
Participants whose smartphones were
only beginning to get our minds around the costs.” Andrew Sulin their pockets or bags did not perlivan (2016)
form as well nor did they perform
Most of us are aware of the negative impact technology has
signi昀椀cantly better than those whose
on our brains but many do not realize the impact of simply havsmartphones were on their desks.
W. J. BREAUX, RPLS,
Chair, TSPS
These results suggest that as smarting a smartphone in our presence when it comes to our ability
O
Safety Committee
12
THE TEXAS SURVEYOR March 2024