A survey conducted by the University of Washington found that students perform 25% lower immediately after using a cell. The effect becomes more durable when the ringtone is a famous music or has some sort of emotional appeal to the listener.
The scientists behind the project found solutions to these problems saying that remembering important information becomes easier when the device is in silent mode, because the sounds produced by the apparatus drain part of the brain's capacity.
"Many of us consider the sounds of a ringing phone in a public place as something boring, but this study confirms that these annoyances have great impact on our lives," said Jill Shelton, the leading study author. "These seemingly innocuous events are not only a distraction but also have a real influence in the learning process," he adds.
Although the study was to generate concern among people who must work in the environment bombarded with phone ringtones and alerts for new text messages, there is evidence that its effects are not long lasting. According to Shelton, with time the body gets used to the information overload and the filter passes most of the melodies.
Devices that cause selfishness
Another survey, conducted by the University of Maryland, shows that people who often use cell phones tend to be more self-centered. Just think about the characteristics of the device is enough to reduce the tendency to participate in community or support events that raise funds for charitable projects.
"The mobile evokes feelings of connectedness with others, fulfilling the basic need for belonging to a group," the authors explain the project. As the work has not yet been fully published, there are still doubts about the time required to use this to happen or what activities considered most harmful.
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