Question

Kiara doesn't think that having her phone face-down next to her while doing homework is having a negative effect on her attention because she turned her notifications off for the day. Based on the PITN segment on phones and attention from the Attention lecture, is Kiara likely CORRECT and WHY?

a) Yes, because notifications are the only distraction caused by phones.
b) Yes, because turning off notifications eliminates all phone-related distractions.
c) No, because the mere presence of a phone can still reduce cognitive performance.
d) No, because multitasking with a phone can improve concentration.

Answer 1

No, Kiara is not correct because even the mere presence of a phone can be distracting and reduce cognitive performance, regardless of whether notifications are on or off.

Step-by-step explanation:

Is Kiara correct in thinking that having her phone face-down next to her while doing homework is not having a negative effect on her attention because she turned her notifications off for the day? The answer is c) No because the mere presence of a phone can still reduce cognitive performance.

Even when notifications are off, the mere presence of a phone can be a distraction. The act of multitasking with technology has been shown to reduce the quality of the task at hand. Studies suggest that students are not as adept at multitasking as they believe and that those who abstain from using screens in class perform better academically. From cognitive performance to the ability to focus, the distraction caused by the presence of a phone can impact various aspects of attention and performance.