The Effects of Cell Phone Conversations on the Attention and Memory of Bystanders

In a study published Wednesday in the journal PLoS One, college students who were asked to complete anagrams while a nearby researcher talked on her cellphone were more irritated and distracted — and far more likely to remember the contents of the conversation — than students who worked on the same puzzles while the same conversation was conducted by two people in the room. Bits reports.

The study is the latest in a growing body of research on why cellphones rank so high on the list of modern irritants. Mounting evidence suggests that the habits encouraged by mobile technology — namely, talking in public to someone who is not there — are tailor made for hijacking the cognitive functions of bystanders.

Read full article. Published Research: The Effects of Cell Phone Conversations on the Attention and Memory of Bystanders

emily | 9:25 AM | SMS Studies & Research |
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