Compelling Question: ​How do the different perspectives of psychology explain our “addiction” cell phones.

Directions: ​You will be engaging in an investigation of cell-phone use in order to explain this use through the
different perspectives of psychology. With each article that you are given, look for what the perspectives say in
relation to why people are becoming more dependant on technology over time. Remember, because
psychology has many different perspectives these articles will be looking at cell phone use in different lenses
leading to some differences in opinion. However, it is important for us to understand these different theories of
cell phone use to be able to understand and manage our behaviors and the behaviors of others, as well as
gain a better understanding of these perspectives and their goals.

ARTICLE 1: ​Why You Can’t Be Without Your Phone?​ ​ ​By Dr. Martin Graff, Psychology Today, 8/2/17

According to John Bowlby, what is attachment and why do people form them?

How do these early attachments impact people as they enter adulthood?

What are the strategies of attachment that the author identifies?

Why does Dr. Graff argue that people form attachments to a phone?

What evidence does Dr. Graff to support his conclusions?

How did men and women differ in their reasons for using phones?

What perspective(s) seem to be present in this article’s explanation of phone use behaviors? Why?

ARTICLE 2: ​This is Why We Can’t Put Down Our Phones​. ​By Dr. Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Psychology
Today, 9/17/16.

How does D.W. Winnicott connect teddy bears to cell phones?

What are the advantageous functions of cell phones according to this article?

What two human needs are tied to the use of cell phones? Which was supported by the study ran in Hungary
by Dr. Konok, how?
What correlation (relationship) did they notice in their study?

What perspective(s) seem to be present in this article’s explanation of phone use behaviors? Why?

ARTICLE 3: ​Phone Addiction is Real -- And So Are Its Mental Health Risks​, ​by Alice G. Walton, Forbes,
12/11/17

What trend is causing more concern with technology, specifically cell phone and social media addiction?

What did MIT notice when they had students give up their smartphone for a day?

What did they notice in a study where they had American students give up their phones?

What does Jean Twenge say shows a link between mental health issues and smartphone use?

Why does the author argue that Instagram and Snap chat are dangerous pastimes?

What did the study at the Radiological Society of North America show when they looked at the brains of teens
who were identified as having a smartphone or internet addiction?

What are the dangers of the new features that social media companies have adopted (pull-to-refresh, red
notifications)?

According to the author, why are teens different than older adults in terms of their cell phone and social media
use?

What perspective(s) seem to be present in this article’s explanation of phone use behaviors? Why?

ARTICLE 4: ​Here’s Why You Can’t Stop Looking at Your Phone, ​Team Lemonade, 7/18/19

How does the evidence at the beginning of the article show the importance of cell phones?

What is dopamine and what role does it play in our cell phone use?
How do rewards play a role in dopamine and continuing behaviors?

Why are phones different than other devices in terms of their interaction with devices and dopamine?

Why do the authors argue that humans are social beings?

How doe Dr. Veissier build off of this argument and make a connection to why we crave to use smartphones?

Why do our brains find cell phones appealing?

What evidence does Dr. Hampton, Professor Misra and the study by Roberts and David identify that shows the
impact cellphones have on our interactions/connections to others?

What perspective(s) seem to be present in this article’s explanation of phone use behaviors? Why?

ARTICLE 5: ​How Silicon Valley Hooks Us​, ​by Paul Lewis, The Week, 11/19/2017

Why is it counterintuitive that Justin Rosentein has taken efforts to restrict his use of social media apps?

What concerns does the author mention in terms of the use of technology?

According to Eyal how has technology “turned into compulsions if not full-fledged addictions”?

How did Tristan Harris note that the tech industry (ex: LinkedIn, YouTube, Netflix and SnapChat) has altered
our behaviors?

How did Facebook tailor their techniques to each individual person?

How did Harris note that companies used the designs of their apps to play on human psychology?

How has the thinking of humans been changed due to the way that politics have been presented on social
media?
What perspective(s) seem to be present in this article’s explanation of phone use behaviors? Why?

REVISITING THE COMPELLING QUESTION:

In the chart below identify how each perspective would theorize our increasing use of cell phones. Be sure to
use evidence from the articles to strengthen your ideas.

PERSPECTIVE

Evolutionary

Psychodynamic

Behavioral

Cognitive

Sociocultural

Biological

Humanistic