WEBVTT

00:00:05.309 --> 00:00:09.750
Cellphones - tablets - and laptops are routinely
used on college campuses nationwide.

00:00:09.075 --> 00:00:15.164
Now - some psychologists say overusing your
smart phone might not be so smart.

00:00:15.839 --> 00:00:19.865
The cellphone business is a multi million-dollar
industry. With the constant release of new

00:00:20.099 --> 00:00:24.190
apps and even faster ways to access information,
cell phones provide instant gratification

00:00:25.009 --> 00:00:25.095
in the palm of your hand.

00:00:25.869 --> 00:00:28.874
Kathryn O'brien, Cell phone user, "I like
to be in the know and like to see what everyone's

00:00:28.919 --> 00:00:30.130
up to"

00:00:30.013 --> 00:00:34.086
Cell phone dependency is a growing issue.
Common Sense Media says the typical college

00:00:34.086 --> 00:00:38.154
student uses their device for an average of
nine hours a day. Students are finding themselves

00:00:39.054 --> 00:00:43.082
staying up late, distracted from school work,
and can often see changes in behavioral trends.

00:00:43.082 --> 00:00:45.391
Kathryn O'brien, Cell phone user, "you don't
really get sick of it and I think with the

00:00:46.129 --> 00:00:48.750
screen in my face its keeping me wide awake
and keeping me engaged in it."

00:00:48.075 --> 00:00:51.108
Richard Ferraro, Psychology Professor, Not
only is this over dependency on texting and

00:00:52.008 --> 00:00:58.907
ipod use and cell phone use but now were starting
to show behavioral outcomes neuropsychological

00:00:58.979 --> 00:01:04.170
outcomes and actually to some extent sleep
related outcomes".

00:01:04.017 --> 00:01:08.006
Psychology professor Richard Ferraro says
that cell phone addiction is not A psychological

00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:12.183
addiction like drug or alcohol abuse, but
the behavior that individuals show is very

00:01:12.399 --> 00:01:16.481
similar to those types of addictions. His
research shows, over dependent students sleep

00:01:17.219 --> 00:01:21.276
less, their grades suffer, and their relationships
can flounder, all of which happen when addicted

00:01:21.789 --> 00:01:22.560
to drugs and alcohol.

00:01:22.056 --> 00:01:26.142
Richard Ferraro, Psychology teacher "we live
in a society of instant gratification we live

00:01:27.042 --> 00:01:33.381
in a society where we want feedback immediately,
and we live in a society where we want that

00:01:33.759 --> 00:01:35.841
feedback to be as positive as possible."

00:01:36.579 --> 00:01:36.586
People who rely on this dependency have deficits
within the executive function within their

00:01:36.649 --> 00:01:36.740
frontal lobe of the brain. This part of the
brain allows you to plan your behavior, and

00:01:36.074 --> 00:01:38.983
is the last area of the brain to develop.
Whether it's for social media or simple conversation,

00:01:39.649 --> 00:01:41.698
over use of devices is taking a toll on students.

00:01:42.139 --> 00:01:46.147
"I feel anxiety when I don't know where my
phone is or if its not by me."

00:01:46.939 --> 00:01:49.993
Experts say the best way to relieve yourself
of this cell addiction is to set your device

00:01:50.479 --> 00:01:56.485
aside or simply turn it off. I'm jake Ocken,
Reporting for studio one.

00:01:56.539 --> 00:02:00.568
Ferraro says that there are questionnaires
available to indicate how much - or how little

00:02:00.829 --> 00:02:01.901
someone is dependent on their mobile device.

00:02:02.549 --> 00:02:02.562
That's the news for now.