21 May 2018
Is technology addictive
ByCarol Mangis andRob Marvin / pcmag
Technology addiction is a term we're hearing more and more lately, and it generally refers to one's inability to stop engaging with the myriad mega-compelling devices, screens, and apps that exist in our world today. In other words, we're having a hard time putting down the smartphone and walking away.
But is tech addiction a real thing? Some experts say yes, absolutely. Psychologist and NYU marketing professor Adam Alter is the author of Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked. He says the underlying characteristics of addiction are the same whether you're talking about a substance addiction or a behavioral addiction to something like your smartphone. It's an experience you return to compulsively that feels positive at first but over time undermines your well-being, be it emotional, financial, physical, psychological, or social, and often a combination.
Others would argue that what we're experiencing is less of an addiction and more a powerful habit or compulsion. Dr. Larry Rosen, who has studied the psychology of technology for more than three decades, warns against using the terms addiction, obsession, and compulsion interchangeably.
Even Dr. David Greenfield, who runs the Center for Internet and Technology Addiction, says there is a wide spectrum of healthy and unhealthy tech use and that "addiction" should be reserved for those who have truly negative consequences in their lives. Regardless of the labels, Greenfield thinks that with smartphones on us 24/7, we're all a little bit too wired.
We wanted to know what our readers thought, so we ran a (very unscientific) survey for a couple weeks to find out; 656 people responded. Some of the answers might surprise you, and some will probably confirm what you already suspect.
Survey Results
Do you ever feel like you're using your smartphone too much?
We thought this was a logical question to start with, and 34 percent said yes, 29 percent said somewhat, and 36.74 percent said not at all. So a slight edge goes to the tech-positive crowd.
Have you ever purposely put your phone or other device away and "untethered" for a certain period of time?
More of our respondents have intentionally untethered: 56 percent, as opposed to 44 percent who have not.
If so, how often do you take device breaks?
Only respondents who answered "yes" on the previous question got to answer this one: 53 percent said "sometimes"; 23 percent said "frequently," and 20 percent said "daily." Only 4 percent said "never." (Never? Really?!)
Group of Young People Discussing Work
Have you ever felt like you could not put down your phone, even though you wanted to?
A majority of readers haven't reached this point of tech dependency; 54 percent said "never." But 36 percent said "sometimes," 5 percent said "frequently," and another 5 percent said "daily."
Do you sleep with your phone within reach of your bed?
Nearly 66 percent of respondents said yes. Here's some advice: If you're having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep, ban that phone from your bedroom. You need your rest.
Do you ever take out and use your phone during a meal with family or friends?
In a win for IRL social interaction, almost 50 percent said "seldom," and 28 percent said "never." But remember: This is self-reported. Those numbers might shift a bit if you were to ask the dinner companions.
What are your primary activities on your smartphone?
Respondents were asked to choose three; here's how the numbers landed, from most to least frequent. Honestly, we would have guessed "gaming" would be higher on the list. And we're actually surprised "talking" did so well. ("Other" was mostly work-related.)
Texting/messaging: 68.45 percent
Web surfing: 49.45 percent
Talking: 36.16 percent
Social media: 31.18 percent
Listening to music/podcasts: 30.81 percent
Streaming video: 18.27 percent
Gaming: 16.42 percent
Other: 13.10 percent
Which device do you use most to spend time online?
Not too surprising that visitors to PCMag.com use desktops and laptops the most: 59 percent. Smartphones were second at 31 percent, and tablets a distant third at 8 percent.
Have you ever sought some kind of counseling or advice for excessive use of your devices?
We weren't expecting a lot of people to say yes here; 97 percent said "no."
Respondents' Comments
We asked a couple open-ended questions on the survey, and lots of respondents had opinions to share. Here are some of their comments (lightly edited for clarity), showing the wide range of outlooks on the topic of tech addiction.
"Tech addiction is real. I teach college classes, and many students refuse to put down their phones. They are interacting constantly with their smartphones. I also am aware of many more drivers being distracted because of their phones. I am very concerned about the future and meaningful social interaction skills."
"The small screens, the tedious fingering. Sometimes you need a break and just have to shut it down and not use it for a day or so."
"It is an exaggerated issue. While some do have issues, it is like any other new technology—frightening. Books and radio had similar responses at first, but they are now accepted."
"Now that I have it, I use it. Having the power in my pocket all the time has become second nature."
Reasons To Stop Looking At Your Phone
"I think it's a growing issue that does need to be addressed, particularly among young children and adolescents. The addictive nature of our smart devices is engineered to be hard to break from as a full-functioning, logical adult, so these are really affecting our next generation and how they face the world."
"Much of what is done on these portable devices I consider a waste of time and a risk to my privacy and security, so I severely limit their use to specific functions of communication."
"I believe tech addiction can be an issue, especially when it produces constant distractions [from] daily life, impeding on fulfillment of goals. However, excessive tech use (which could be thought of as addiction) used for meaningful, goal-oriented activities can greatly enhance output and achievements."
"Overstated. Over-generalized. Misnamed."
"Most of the people I know that have tech addiction also suffer from anxiety, which usually stems from the inability to accept things as they truly are. For me, I had to stifle the amount of advertising, and that helped immensely."
"My life is essentially tied to my devices, so I don't untether from them as often as I should."
"I live in Manitoba, Canada. My area has limited cell service and limited internet. I have no problem taking a break from it all. I am grateful that Canada is so big."
"Time out from all things tech is a necessary part of my remaining sane each day."
"People are not addicted to technology; they use it as a means of escapism to forget about or postpone attending to matters in their life. That so many people engage in this kind of activity speaks to the fact that many people aren't quite coping with life."
"I carry my phone or tablet with me from room to room in my house. Including the bathroom. I have it on the bed next to me when I sleep at night or nap in the daytime. I can't not use it."
"I love using/playing with tech devices, but I am not addicted to them. This is a great time to be alive because of all the new tech devices that are available right now."
"I see way too many people who would rather look at their device than interact with the real people around them."
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"I'm not convinced it's a thing, but I also wouldn't be surprised if it were and I were afflicted. Given the extent to which our lives have been digitized, the line between appropriate and maladaptive device usage is a bit blurry."
"Tech addiction is a very real issue and a leading cause in the disconnection between people and their friends and environments. In my case, I have noticed that it also leads to becoming worried and stressed out whenever a device I use is not working properly.... We need to remember that technology should be a supplement to what we enjoy in life, not a replacement for it."
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