Hughes, Nicola and Burke, Jolanta
(2018)
Sleeping with the frenemy: How restricting ‘bedroom use’ of smartphones impacts happiness and wellbeing.
Computers in Human Behavior, 85.
pp. 236-244.
ISSN 0747-5632
Abstract
Smartphone technology has dramatically changed the way people interact with the physical and online
world. Research shows both positive and negative impacts of smartphone and social platform use.
Positive outcomes relate to social capital and engagement, while negative impacts result from
compulsive usage, negative comparisons and the stress of being ‘always on’. Little evidence is available
regarding wellbeing impacts of smartphone use at particular times of day. This study measures the
impact of overnight smartphone use on wellbeing. Experimental group participants abstained from
smartphone use in the bedroom for one week. The Subjective Happiness Scale, Quality of Life Scale,
Smartphone Addiction Scale and Intensity & Time Affect Survey were issued at the beginning and end of
the week. Paired sample T-Tests compared pre and post intervention participant surveys scores. It was
hypothesised that subjective wellbeing would increase. In three out of four measures (SAS-SV, SHS and
QOLS) the hypothesis was upheld, although impacts were relatively small. 93.6% of experimental group
participants said they “might’ or “would” consider self-imposing intervention conditions moving forward, suggesting that participants experienced greater benefits not measurable through the questionnaires selected. Some qualitative analysis supports exploration of findings. Further research to explore
other wellbeing impacts is encouraged.
| Item Type: |
Article
|
| Keywords: |
Smartphone;
Social media;
Social overload;
Subjective wellbeing;
Cyber psychology;
Positive psychology; |
| Academic Unit: |
Faculty of Social Sciences > Education |
| Item ID: |
13113 |
| Identification Number: |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.03.047 |
| Depositing User: |
Jolanta Burke
|
| Date Deposited: |
26 Jun 2020 22:03 |
| Journal or Publication Title: |
Computers in Human Behavior |
| Publisher: |
Elsevier |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| URI: |
|
| Use Licence: |
This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available
here |
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