Skip to main content

EENet ConnectSubgroupsGambling, Gaming & Technology Use Community of Interest

Gambling, Gaming & Technology Use Community of Interest

The Gambling, Gaming & Technology Use Community of Interest brings together addiction and mental health service providers, researchers and subject matter experts in the fields of gambling, technology/Internet use and video gaming to collaborate and share knowledge on emerging trends and clinical best practices.

jonas-lee-o6elTKWZ5bI-unsplash

With the constant bombardment of notifications from our phones many of us feel the need to distance ourselves from these distracting alerts. So instinctively it makes sense to turn them off so we check our phones less.

However, a recent study by Liao and Sundar (2022) presented research that may call into question this practice.

The authors used an app to track 138 iPhone users for four days.

The app tracked:

  • Whether notifications were turned on or off
  • The number of notifications received/day
  • Total time spent on phone
  • How often participants checked their phones.


The results indicated that the participants were more likely to check their phones on silent mode than when their phones had audio or vibrate notifications turned on. Also, participants that rated higher on Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) and Need to Belong (NtB) checked their phone more often when their phones were left on silent.

Are these results surprising to you at all? Feel free to comment below and share your thoughts!

Attachments

Images (1)
  • jonas-lee-o6elTKWZ5bI-unsplash: Photo by Jonas Lee on Unsplash
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

I turned notifications off on a couple apps that I was using and I found it very helpful. In fact, I also deleted another social media app altogether and I dont feel the need to check it. I dont have a strong fear of missing out. I do notice though that these apps do their best to try and get you back, by maybe sending emails or other types of notifications to entice you to come back.

I wonder about the methodology of the research that gave the results that they got.   

It's so funny, I find that when my phone is on silent I check it more than if it's in front of me and I can see what notifications are popping up (and can dismiss them or open them). This was what a lot of high school students said when I was working with them and we asked them to keep their phones out of sight, it's almost like the FOMO was too much and they felt better keeping them in view. Like Peter, I feel better when I switch notifications off for most of my apps and only have the most necessary ones pop up like phone and text messages.

Add Reply

Post
CAMH Logo

This website has been funded by a grant from the Government of Ontario.
The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Ontario.
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×