It\u27s Not My Phone, It’s Me: Investigating Smartphone Presence and Predictors of Smartphone Reliance

Objectives: Smartphones are nearly ubiquitous and as a result, researchers have sought to study whether there are negative consequences that result from this inescapable device. Extended exposure to seemingly endless resources, entertainment, and communications has brought forward the issue of smartphone reliance and the effect of smartphone presence on cognition. This dissertation investigated the effect of smartphone presence on cognition and predictors of smartphone reliance using six studies. Chapter 2 (one study): A replication of Ward et al.\u27s (2017) second study was completed. Participants completed a difficult working memory task and a response inhibition task while leaving their smartphone either on their desk, in their pocket or bag, or outside of the testing room (powered on or off in each location). Smartphone use tendencies and a measure of smartphone attachment and dependency were collected. Results did not replicate the original study\u27s main findings: there was no effect of smartphone location on working memory. Chapter 3 (three studies): A battery of 12 cognitive tests were used to investigate which aspect of cognition, if any, was affected by smartphone location. Measures of smartphone reliance (nomophobia-the modern fear of being without your phone or the internet, smartphone attachment and dependency, and mobile phone involvement) and smartphone tendencies were also measured. Results from the in-lab study revealed an effect of smartphone location on verbal ability (specifically, verbal short-term memory) but these results were not replicated in a subsequent online-based study. Chapter 4 (two studies): The final studies explored personality traits and well-being measures as predictors for smartphone reliance (nomophobia, and smartphone attachment and dependency). Results revealed that higher emotional intelligence and neuroticism were the best and most consistent predictors of smartphone reliance. Conclusions: These studies imply that smartphone presence may impact a small aspect of cognition, but not in a reliable manner. Smartphone reliance measures (and their predictors) should be incorporated into future studies to assess if some people are more likely to experience negative effects from smartphone presence or use