Does loving your phone mean you’re a quitter?

Several authors have studied the risks arising from the growth in mobile phone use (e.g. large debts incurred by young people, banned or dangerous use of cellular phones). The aim of this study is to analyse whether impulsivity, which has often been related to various forms of addictive behaviours, is associated with massive use of and dependence on the mobile phone. In this study, 108 female undergraduate psychology students were screened using a questionnaire evaluating actual use of and perceived dependence on the mobile phone, and with the French adaptation of the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale. This scale identifies four distinct components associated with impulsive behaviour: Urgency, lack of Premeditation, lack of Perseverance, and Sensation Seeking. The results showed that a relationship can be established between the use of and perceived dependence on the cellular phone and two facets of impulsivity: Urgency and lack of Perseverance.

Source: “Does impulsivity relate to perceived dependence on and actual use of the mobile phone?” from Applied Cognitive PsychologyVolume 21 Issue 4, Pages 527 – 537

Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers explains just how important persistence and perseverance can be. Jonah Lehrer examines the science of “grit” here. You also might want to check out Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.

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