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When do smartphones displace face-to-face interactions and what to do about it

Bibliographic Data

ID21562011
AuthorsPhilippe Verduyn (0000-0001-8266-2216, Maastricht University, corresponding author), Julia C C Schulte‐Strathaus (0000-0002-6138-5544, Maastricht University), Julia C C Schulte-Strathaus, Ethan Kross (0000-0002-8664-2711, University of Michigan), Ute R Hülsheger (0000-0003-1069-7510, Maastricht University)
Year2021
Volume114
Pages106550
Publication date2021-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueComputers in Human Behavior (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0747-5632 • E-ISSN: 1873-7692
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.chb.2020.106550
OpenAlexW3083538181
LanguageEN
Citations received39
References cited49

There is a public concern that smartphone communication undermines well-being by displacing face-to-face interactions. However, research on this “social displacement hypothesis” has provided mixed results. We examined when this hypothesis holds true (within-persons vs. between-persons) and tested an intervention to decrease smartphone communication. Participants (N = 109) reported daily on smartphone communication, face-to-face communication, and emotional well-being for fifteen days. At day six, participants were assigned to a mindfulness-treatment intervention group or a no-treatment control group. The social displacement hypothesis was confirmed at the within-person but not between-person level. Specifically, when someone communicates a lot using her smartphone during a particular day, that person engages in less face-to-face interactions during that same day. However, people who tend to spend a lot of time communicating on their smartphone do not engage in less face-to-face conversations than people who largely refrain from smartphone communication. The mindfulness-intervention reduced daily smartphone communication, which decreased negative emotions

Face-to-face · Face-to-face interaction · Internet privacy · Mindfulness · Multimedia · Smartphone app · Smartphone application · Applied Psychology · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Clinical Psychology · Communication · Computer Science · Digital Mental Health Interventions · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Psychology · Social Psychology

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Unique citing works39
Citations per year7,8
Citation span2021 - 2026 (6)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 36
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