As soon as we sit on a bus or join a queue at the post office, we pull out our phones. Studies show that the average American checks their phone almost 100 times a day, spending more than five hours daily on their screens. While browsing social media or checking sports scores might seem harmless, a new study by BerkeleyHaas suggests it may come at a social cost.
“When I was younger, growing up in New York, people on trains would chat while reading the newspaper,” the researchers explain. “Now everyone is looking down at their phones.”
Unsocial media
The study found that using our phones instead of talking to others can hurt our trustworthiness. In their experiment, groups of six students waited together for 20 minutes. Some groups used their phones, while others were without them. Afterward, the students played a trust game where they could earn more money by sharing up front and trusting their partner to split the final amount.
Those without phones who interacted with others in the waiting room shared more money up front. Their partners also gave back more than those with phones and more than they received. The researchers say this generosity comes from the trust built through personal connection.
“If you don’t look someone in the eye, you treat them as less than human—it’s just about money,” they say. “But if you smile and chat, you see them as a person, not a blank slate.”
Distancing us
Phones connect us to loved ones far away but can distance us from strangers nearby. People often look at their phones in social situations due to boredom, shyness, or thinking others don’t want to talk. The researchers believe that by putting away our phones, we might build more trust with those around us.
Children could learn social skills by giving up their phones during school or at summer camp. In business, managers could foster trust by limiting phone use during orientations, encouraging new hires to drop their phones at the door.
“Phones are valuable, but sometimes it’s more rewarding to chat with the person next to you,” the researchers conclude. “You might be surprised to find they want to chat too.”
