Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 12, 2026

Measuring the Switch Cost of Smartphone Use While Walking
Published on: April 30, 2020
Event-Related Potential Measures of Smartphone Distraction
P Andrew Leynes1, James Flynn1, Brittany A Mok1
1Department of Psychology, The College of New Jersey , Ewing, New Jersey.
Abstract:
The effect of smartphone use on cognitive function was quantified using measures of neural activity called event-related potentials (ERPs). Participants engaged in a primary task ( Exp. 1a : executive function; Exp. 1b : gambling) with no distraction and while using their smartphone to read online news articles. Smartphone use slowed behavioral responses and reduced the P300 ERP amplitudes by ∼50 percent and provides evidence that smartphones have a large distracting effect. Experiment 2 compared executive function ERPs from smartphone-experienced users ( Exp. 1a ) with those collected on smartphone-naive subjects (collected in late 2006 and early 2007; Scisco et al.). This comparison provides preliminary evidence that smartphone use may be improving visual spatial attention. Collectively, the data highlight some costs and benefits of smartphone use.
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