Can smartphone presence affect cognitive function? The moderating role of fear of missing out

Abstract

In current information society, the smartphone has become an indispensable part of our daily lives. However, along with its advantages, its problems have also become prominent. Against this background, this study examines the influence of smartphones on cognitive function and the potential moderating role of fear of missing out (FoMO). One hundred undergraduate students were randomly recruited and divided into smartphone presence and absence groups to compare the working memory capacity, which is a key element of cognitive function, and the FoMO was also assessed. The results indicated that: (1) Compared with the absence group, participants in the presence group showed lower accuracy and longer response time in the operation span task, suggesting that the presence of smartphones has a negative influence on cognitive function; (2) The FoMO moderated the influence of smartphone presence on the accuracy and response time in the operation span task, specifically, the effect was stronger for individuals with higher level of FoMO. This study deepens our understandings on the influence of smartphone use by considering the regular usage in daily life and cognitive function, as well as the role of FoMO, providing guidance for reasonable smartphone use and improving work efficiency (especially cognitive function).