Semmelweis University Research Identifies Problematic Smartphone Use Beyond Total Screen Time
Research from Semmelweis University indicates that problematic smartphone use is influenced less by personality traits alone and more by weak self-control and a strong fear of missing out (FOMO). The study, published in Acta Psychologica, examined smartphone habits, mental health, physical well-being, and cognitive performance among students aged 18 to 35. It found a distinction between the mental and physical effects of smartphone use: how people use their phones is closely tied to attention and memory, while total screen time is more strongly associated with bodily consequences. Participants were categorized into 'pure social' users, 'light process' users (less than four to five hours daily for content consumption), and 'heavy process' users (four to five hours or more daily, primarily consuming content). 'Heavy process' users performed worse on cognitive tests related to attention and memory and experienced poorer sleep. The study also highlighted that passive content consumption, such as endless scroll...
