Motorola wants us to realize we are addicted to our phones

These days, the smartphone is an important tool. It keeps us connected to our friends and family, our passions, our memories, and for some it lets us connect to our means of making a living. These things have become extensions of ourselves to the point of ingraining behavioral patterns, particularly in the younger generation of smartphone users that grew up in a digitally connected world.

Motorola has hosted a study with Dr. Nancy Etcoff, expert in Mind-Brand Behavior and the Science of Happiness at Harvard University. Dr. Etcoff is also the Psychologist at Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry.

A third party research company surveyed 4,418 smartphone users between ages 16 and 65 in the US, Brazil, France, and India and came up with these findings.

• 33% of participants put priority on their smartphones over engaging with loved ones who want to spend time with them.
• Younger smartphone users face the most behavioral issues with 53% of Generation Z users describing their phones as their best friend.
• 61% of people surveyed agree that they would like to get the most out of their phones while they are on them and the most out of life when they are not using a phone.
• 60% of people say it's important to have a life away from their phones.

The following findings pertain specifically to younger smartphone users (in this case, Generation Z).

• 49% of users agree that they check their phones excessively while 60% of both millennial and Gen Z agree that they impulsively check their phones.
• 35% agree they are spending too much time on their phones and 44% of Gen Z believe they'd be happier of they spent less time on their phones.
• 65% admit they have panic when they think they lost their phone while 3 in 4 Gen Z participants agree they are often thinking about or planning the next time they can use their phones.

Motorola is offering a quiz that you can take yourself to see what your phone-life balance is like and learn whether you have an emotional dependence on your smartphone.

Motorola feels the social responsibility to bring new programs and initiatives that help educate and teach folks about how to find a better phone-life balance. It is also teaming up with the SPACE Phone-Life Balance App. This app offers a 60 day program to make users more aware of their smartphone behavior patterns and suggests ways to find a healthy balance.

It is also inviting developers to create ideas for MotoMods that would help people engage with others or help keep mindful smartphone usage.

Did you take the quiz? What did you learn about the way you use your smartphone?

Source | Take the quiz