In an era when most people can’t go 15 minutes without checking their notifications, a Chinese company conducted an unusual experiment. Participants were offered a reward of 10,000 yuan (approximately $1380) for eight hours without a smartphone.
The organizers set strict rules: the participants had to lie down for the entire test without the right to sleep. They were also forbidden to read books, watch movies, or engage in any other activity that could distract them from picking up the phone.
The test took place in the store of the organizing company, where the condition of ten randomly selected participants was monitored using a special bracelet. The device recorded heart rate and anxiety signs that often accompany «digital withdrawal».
The winner was a woman who came to the experiment in her pajamas and was able to comply with all the requirements for a certain period of time, despite the fact that comfortable clothes could provoke a desire to fall asleep.
The problem of smartphone addiction has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, when remote work and social isolation have forced people to spend more time with gadgets. Studies have found that Americans check their phones an average of 352 times a day, which is four times more frequent than in 2019, writes Techspot magazine.
According to 82 research with 150,000 participants, more than 25% of the world’s people are addicted to smartphones. This is due to constantly improving applications, exciting games, and even chatbots with artificial intelligence that keep users online for longer and longer.
Source: Techspot
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