Physiological Anxiety Responses with Cell Phone Separation and Subsequent Contact

Past research has shown that people separated from their cell phones exhibit physiological responses related to anxiety. These responses include an increase in the release of stress hormones leading to an increase in heart rate, perspiration, and respiration rate. Because of the strong attachment young American adults have to their cell phones, the researchers hypothesized participants would show signs of anxiety when separated from their phones. To test this, twenty participants completed a word search once with their phone in their possession, and another when their phone was out of their reach. During the latter condition, an experimenter anonymously contacted the subject first by text and then by phone call. Heart rate, respiration rate, and galvanic skin response measurements were taken continuously throughout both conditions. The results obtained indicate that the only significant response supporting the researchers’ hypothesis was the skin response data. The data obtained regarding heart rate and respiration rate was not sufficient to prove that there was a measurable physiological response to being separated from one’s phone. Introduction In the United States, 98% of young adults ages 18 to 29 own cellular phones and use them for multiple purposes (Pew Research Center Internet Project Survey, 2014). Americans aged 18-24 send an average of 109.5 text messages per day, or about 3,200 texts each month, while also checking their cell phones 60 times a day (Pew Research Center, 2015). In addition to simply calling and texting, the use of social technology on cell phones has become a primary source of information access, social interaction, and personal safety for a majority of young adults (Aoki & Downes, 2003). As a result of a growing reliance on mobile phones, many people have formed an emotional attachment with their mobile device (Vincent, 2006, Clayton et al., 2015). Furthermore, a cell phone user’s relative emotional attachment level is correlated to increased levels of anxiety when the phone is absent (Vincent, 2006). Sixty-seven percent of cell phone users check their phone for messages, alerts, or calls even when they do not notice their phone ringing or vibrating (Pew Research Center, 2015). In recent studies, a participant’s separation from their cell phone corresponded to physiological anxiety responses to varying degrees. These responses included an increase in the release of stress hormones, such as Anxiety Responses with Cell Phone Separation and Contact 3 adrenaline and cortisol, as well as the activation of the sympathetic nervous system (Clayton et al., 2015). The measurable physiological effects of this response included an increase in heart rate, respiration rate, perspiration and blood pressure until the stressor was removed. Once participants were no longer separated from their cell phones, the elevated responses returned to a value within a normal range (Christenson, et al., 2012, Clayton et al., 2015). Even casual cell phone users may experience increased anxiety levels as a result of the perceived obligation to remain constantly connected with others (Lepp et al., 2014). In a study done by Clayton, et al. (2015), 40 undergraduate students were separated from their cell phones and contacted while completing a cognitive task. The study found that cell phone separation lead to greater physiological anxiety, measured by increases in blood pressure levels and an increase in heart rate (Clayton et al., 2015). In a two-week study of 21 college-aged students whose cell phone use was restricted, there was an increase in the overall state of anxiety for roughly one third of participants (Durocher, et al., 2012). Additionally, a study done on 22 undergraduates at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found modest evidence for the onset of an acute anxiety response in participants upon separation from their cell phone (Christenson, et al., 2012). These previous cell phone attachment studies show altered physiological responses upon the removal of participants’ cell phones. The research done by Christenson et al. (2012) found no heart rate response due to cell phone separation, but blood pressure and galvanic skin response (GSR) rose slightly during the experimental test period. However, the researchers took discrete physiological measurements during test periods and did not attempt to reinforce participants’ feelings of separation. Our study methods included continuous physiological measurements of heart rate, respiration rate, and galvanic skin response in both control and experimental conditions to expand on Christenson et al.’s previous research. Additionally, researchers in our Anxiety Responses with Cell Phone Separation and Contact 4 study contacted participants while their phones were not in their possession in order to reinforce the sense of separation from their cell phone. Participants were asked to complete one word search with their phone in their possession and another while separated from their phone during which time we contacted their cell phone twice. We hypothesized that participants’ separation from their phone would be correlated with an increase in heart rate, respiration rate and GSR at the time that they were contacted by researchers. We also hypothesized that each participant would perform similarly on each word search and participants’ performance on the word searches would be similar across control and experimental groups.