Homo Digitalis Smartphones promote Digital Burnout

Smartphones and computers are playing an ever-increasing role in our lives. Experts are already talking about a move towards "homo digitalis". Despite all the advantages that electronic devices bring with them, there are also negative benefits associated with their use. One study concludes: "Smartphones are addictive, unproductive and unhappy."

Smartphones have a drastic impact on our lives
Especially children and adolescents depend too much on the computer, many adults criticize. According to various studies, many children keep it out for only 30 minutes without a mobile phone, until real withdrawal symptoms appear. Although the electronic devices have also contributed to a huge improvement in the quality of life through the various applications, their use is also associated with negative developments. For example, we forget to wait for the art through the smartphone, experts say. In addition, smartphones are "dependent, unproductive and unhappy": Alexander Markowetz, junior professor of computer science at the University of Bonn came to this conclusion. With the help of an app he has evaluated the mobile phone usage of 60,000 people.

Smartphones meanwhile determine our lives. Image: Antonioguillem - fotolia

Mobile phone is activated 53 times a day
In his forthcoming book "Digital Burnout", the researcher explains the relationships and describes the dramatic consequences for our private lives and the world of work. As reported by the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn in a press release, around 300,000 people have now downloaded the app "Menthal", which was developed last year by computer scientists and psychologists at the university for research purposes. This app records the smartphone usage and submits the data anonymously to the researchers' servers. The 60,000 records so far evaluated showed that the owners activated their mobile phone 53 times a day on average. Every 18 minutes they interrupt their activity, which they are busy with. "Smartphone apps work like gambling machines. We keep pushing them to get a little kick, "says Markowetz.

"Genesis of Homo Digitalis"
This behavior runs through all age groups and social classes: "We are witnessing the emergence of homo digitalis, which handles most of its activities using digital media," the author explained. "People spend a lot of their time using social media applications like Facebook, WhatsApp, and games." According to the junior professor, the constant interruptions are dramatic, which never allow one to fully engage in an activity, and thus any experience of Flow prevented. The consequences are, according to the press release "unproductive and a lack of happiness". Especially teenagers are extremely focused on their cell phones. The 17- to 25-year-old participants of the investigation used their smartphone even more frequently - a total of three hours. And that, although much of their time has already been seized by school or training.

Everyday work is constantly interrupted
The economy has not yet realized what is important to them. Thus, some companies would equip their employees with tablets and smartphones and allow them complete flexibility - and thus increase dependence and burnout risk. Others would in the evening prevent the professional use of smartphones - for example, by turning off email server, but this leads the researchers according to the actual problem over: "Decisive are the constant interruptions in the daily work and less the evening e-mail."

Create mobile-free zones
According to their own statements, Markowetz is not concerned with abolishing or "demonizing" smartphones. "In a first step, we have created the devices, in a second we have to get used to healthy manners." According to the scientist, educational campaigns, research projects or political initiatives for dealing with the Internet are so far in short supply. But in the US, there are now the first pioneer. "The permanent use of smartphones is a subconscious reflex," says Markowetz. The automatisms can be got rid of by concrete techniques. For example, by declaring the bedroom a cell phone-free zone or setting the rule to use the smartphone only on an uncomfortable kitchen stool.

However, this naturally increases the risk of getting a so-called mobile phone syndrome or other postural damage. As the use of smartphones and co. Is just beginning to develop, we need urgently a societal debate and an interdisciplinary exchange in science to understand what digitization is doing to our psyches, according to Markowetz. (Ad)