- Path:
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Smartphone use and stroop performance in a university workforce: A survey-experiment
Files
External resources
Periodical
- Title:
- Open health
- Publication:
-
Warsaw: De Gruyter Poland
- Scope:
- Online-Ressource
- ISSN:
- 2544-9826
- ZDB-ID:
-
2977980-7
- VÖBB-Katalog:
- 35250885
- Keywords:
- Zeitschrift
- Classification:
- Medizin
- DDC Group:
- 610 Medizin
- Collection:
- Medizin
- Copyright:
- Rights reserved
- Accessibility:
- Free Access
Article
- Title:
- Smartphone use and stroop performance in a university workforce: A survey-experiment
- Publication:
-
Warsaw: De Gruyter Poland, 2025
- Language:
- English
- Information:
- Introduction: Smartphones are now an integral part of everyday life, and their wide use by employees has raised concerns regarding workplace safety and productivity. Issues like ‘nomophobia’ and ‘digital amnesia’ have been marked as challenges, especially during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated reliance on smartphones. Aim: This study aims to assess the cognitive effects of smartphone use on employees, particularly regarding attention, error rates, and potential occupational implications. Methodology: Survey-based research was conducted among employees (n = 71) of a Greek University. An experimental design of Stroop tests was done to measure cognitive performance and error rates. Respondents answered questions such as work-related smartphone activities and productivity implications. This survey was analyzed through non-parametric statistical tests. Outcomes: Results show that most of the participants use their smartphones on a regular basis while they are at work. Participants who used a smartphone immediately before the test required longer completion times (median 2.68 min [IQR 2.30–3.10] vs 1.81 min [1.60–2.20]; difference +0.87 min, 95% CI 0.52–1.23; p < 0.001) and committed more errors (median 6.45 [5–8] vs 4.25 [3–6]; difference +2.2 errors, 95% CI 1.1–3.2; p = 0.002) compared to non-users. Daily smartphone use was positively correlated with errors (Spearman’s ρ = 0.34, 95% CI 0.12–0.52, p = 0.01). No stratified or interaction analyses by age or gender reached statistical significance. Conclusion: Immediate smartphone use is associated with slower cognitive performance and increased errors. These findings highlight the importance of promoting moderate smartphone use and raising awareness to support employee well-being and productivity.
- Scope:
- Online-Ressource
- Note:
- Open Access
- Archivierung/Langzeitarchivierung gewährleistet
- Keywords:
- smartphones ; occupational safety ; nomophobia ; digital amnesia ; cognitive performance
- Classification:
- Medizin
- Wirtschaft
- DDC Group:
- 330 Wirtschaft
- Collection:
- Medizin
- Wirtschaft
- Copyright:
- CC BY
- Accessibility:
- Free Access
