UMD Researchers Find Cell Phone Use Linked to Selfish Behavior

UMD Researchers Find Cell Phone Use Linked to Selfish Behavior

Previous studies have suggested that mobile phone and Facebook use may fulfilll a need for social interaction which makes people less motivated to interact with others in person. Dr. Anastasiya Pocheptsova and Dr. Rosellina Ferraro, researchers from the University of Maryland, continued this study. They analyzed subjects' lack of altruism after mobile phone use. Altruism is consided a pro-social action, one that is intended to benefit others or society as a whole. Separate sets of college students in their 20s were observed. Compared to the control group, students that had used a mobile phone  for a short period of time were less likely to volunteer for community service or to solve a word problem that would lead to a monetary donation to charity. 

Researchers expect that this pattern would be observed from people from other age groups as well. "Given the pervasiveness of cell phones, it does have the potential to have broad social implications," says Ferraro.

For more information, visit http://psychcentral.com/news/2012/02/16/cell-phones-may-limit-altruism/34895.html

February 16, 2012