We’ve all been there: You sit in the company of friends or family, mindlessly clicking away on your mobile phone instead. Well, it’s not just distracting, it’s antisocial, says a new study conducted at The University of Maryland. In a series of experiments, researchers found that cellphone users (male and female, in their early 20s) were less inclined to volunteer for a community service project when asked, compared to a control group, and were less motivated to solve word problems that they knew would lead to a charity donation.
The interesting part: Cellphone users reported feeling more “connected” than Facebook users. So cellphones clearly aren’t all bad—social connection is a basic need—but try not to get too self-involved along the way. Generosity is good for you!
