“I’m listening, I’m just quickly answering this message”

Smart devices are now an integral part of our everyday lives. Over the last two decades, the proportion of internet users has been steadily increasing: there has been a rise of 52% in Hungary between 2005 and 2022. Online presence is seen by many as a way of expanding the sphere of human existence, and user profiles created on social media can be seen as a way of expanding the self. It is not uncommon to use our smart devices during our social interactions and conversations, which practice often disrupts their continuity – a phenomenon known as technoference.

Members of the Applied Psychology Research Group of ELTE PPK – Eszter P. Remete, Orsolya Csilla Pachner, Petra Schrőter, Adél Csenge Simon, Vivien Hartmann, István Tafferner, and Gábor Aranyi – published their study in the Hungarian Journal of Psychology, in which they summarised the literature on technoference. During their research, the authors reviewed scientific papers published between 2016 (when the concept of technoference first appeared) and 2023.

Technoference is, for example, when you are checking your phone and ignore the person you are talking to; when you focus on incoming notifications during an in-person interaction; or when you are switching between in-person and online communication at the same time. However, the extent of smartphone use shows only a moderately strong correlation with technoference;

the problem therefore lies in the quality, and not the quantity, of device use

the authors highlighted.

Smart devices affect our psychological processes in various ways. Research has shown that the mere presence of our mobile phone can have a negative impact on our cognitive capacity, and the compromised attention system can result in poorer performance. The decline in cognitive functions is also thought to have an impact on the quality of our social interactions. In addition to their influence on our cognitive functions, smart devices may also affect our desire for connection: in-person encounters can be replaced by online social networking, allowing people to skip face-to-face, deeper conversations.

Technoference can particularly cause a lot of difficulties in intimate relationships. Research has shown that higher perceived technoference is associated with more conflict, which reduces relationship satisfaction and individual well-being. If someone interrupts a conversation for a longer period of time because of an incoming message or letter, it can make the other person feel that they are not interesting enough as a conversation partner.

The lack of undivided attention also reduces the experience of intimacy.

What is more, you do not necessarily need to use your smartphone to damage your close relationships: the researchers pointed out that the mere presence of the device can inhibit interpersonal connection and trust.

The impact of technology use on childhood development is an increasingly common question. The research cited in this study has unanimously shown that

being constantly on a phone or tablet reduces maternal responsiveness and sensitivity to the child’s needs.

Since children learn how to optimally express and regulate their emotions by monitoring their parents and interpreting their exact responses, it raises considerable difficulties if digital devices disrupt the dynamics of mother-child interactions. When a parent is staring at a screen, their child cannot accurately infer their emotional state and the reason behind their facial expression, thus experiencing what is known as the “bystander ignorance”.

Technoference may be present not only in our private lives, but also in our work. With the rise of remote working opportunities, constant availability has become an expectation, blurring the time and space constraints of work. It can easily happen that calls and emails interrupt leisure activities or family interactions. Another negative consequence of technoference is that these interruptions can lead to the workers’ experiencing cognitive overload and exhibiting poorer performance.

The study of technoference is a relatively recent direction in psychological research, so further research is needed to understand its impact on social relationships. In the meantime, it may be worth observing whether we are more present in the digital world as opposed to live interactions.