Current Events in Psychology

Kyla Alvarez

iPhone Separation Anxiety

     This article discusses research proving that when separated from one's phone, performance decreases substantially. It also causes a person to go through side effects that are both psychological and physiological. Blood pressure and heart rate start to jump, and one begins to show significant signs of anxiety. Being separated from one's phone can cause a person to enter a negative physiological state because "iPhones are capable of becoming an extension of our selves such that when separated, we experience a lessening of 'self',". Studies show that just being physically near one's phone, regardless of use, can help with performance on a mental task.

     Upon reading the article, I would have to say I agree. Both from personal experience and the information obtained from the article I can testify to the truth behind the separation anxiety theory. When I have to go without my phone, I tend to feel like something is missing. It often feels like I'm 'out of the loop', or like important events are happening that I am unaware of. Though this feeling is often exaggerated within one's mind, I do think to some extent there is some validity behind it. I don't believe that lack of use of a personal device would necessarily cause an onslaught of anxiety in an otherwise non-anxious person, but to some degree they may start to show some anxious behaviors if having to deal with this loss. If we did not live in a society that was so co-dependent on social media and cellular devices, we would not have as much 'separation anxiety' from phone withdrawal.

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