Phantom Phone Vibration

People who are overly dependent on their smartphones feel ‘phantom vibrations’, a study has found.

17:32 27 January 2017

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research has found that an individual’s dependency on smartphones results in a phenomenon known as “phantom communication experiences.” The phenomenon refers to the perception that one’s mobile phone is vibrating or ringing when it is not.

 

Daniel Kruger, a scientist from the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, said: "When people have addictions, there's a phenomenon in which they are hypersensitive to stimuli associated with a rewarding stimulus," 

 

"This study provides some real insight and maybe some evidence that people can have a real dependency on cell phone use."

 

David Brudo, founder of a Swedish mental health and well-being app, said that our phones become a physical extension of ourselves.

 

"Imagine carrying your phone in you pocket for more than 10 years," 

 

"Not having it there anymore will feel like you're missing a limb, since your mind becomes programmed to answer to the stimulus."

 

He added that although constantly checking our phones can lead to a feeling of instant gratification, this behavior can greatly disrupt our ability to focus.

 

"The human brain is not like a multi-core computer," said Brudo. "Our ability to focus is limited, and modern technologies are destroying it."

 

"I think these findings are something that can inform the discussion - and certainly, it pushes in the direction of saying, 'Hey, whether you want to call it dependency or addiction, it's real, it's important, and we should be paying attention to this.'"