Researchers: Banning cell phones is not a solution for more productivity
An experiment showed that people switch to other distractions when they don't have access to their smartphone at work.
(Image: TippaPatt/Shutterstock.com)
A study by the London School of Economics and Political Science found that the absence of a cell phone does not increase effective working hours. Rather, according to the results, people find substitute activities that have nothing to do with work and thus take shorter breaks.
The experiment was carried out in a room in which test subjects were asked to work with their laptops for five hours. This was done once on each of two different days. The only difference was the place where the cell phone was to be placed. On one occasion, it was placed on the same table on which they were working, and on the second occasion it was placed on a separate table about one and a half meters away.
(Image:Â Maxi Heitmayer / London School of Economics and Political Science)
If the cell phone was within reach on the same table, the test subjects used it three times more often and spent twice as much time on it. On the other hand, people spent more time on the computer when the cell phone was further away. However, the number of activities carried out on the computer remained the same.
Videos by heise
Social media on cell phones, news and shopping on notebooks
While the test subjects enjoyed scrolling through Tiktok or Instagram on their smartphones, they often used news sites or online shopping portals on their notebooks when access to their cell phones was difficult. Chats such as Whatsapp or Facebook Messenger were used regardless of the device.
(Image:Â Maxi Heitmayer / London School of Economics and Political Science)
In a comparison of the two test scenarios, the participants spent the same amount of time on work and leisure activities. The number of work activities also remained statistically constant in both scenarios. However, people used their computer for twice as many leisure activities when the cell phone was further away.
The researchers found that the cell phone is preferably used for leisure activities and only the focus for the device itself changes. The notebook is primarily used for leisure activities when the cell phone is not available. The experiment was conducted with 28 people between the ages of 22 and 31.
(tlz)
