Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicología del Principado de Asturias).
We currently publish four issues per year, which accounts for some 100 articles annually. We admit work from both the basic and applied research fields, and from all areas of Psychology, all manuscripts being anonymously reviewed prior to publication.
Ana María Ruiz-Ruano García1, Ana Sánchez-Kuhn2, Pilar Flores2 and Jorge López Puga1
1 Universidad de Granada (Spain),
2 Universidad de Almería (Spain)
Background: Society is witnessing two parallel phenomena: an increase in the number of mobile phone users worldwide and a growing concern about problematic smartphone use. Leading explanatory models suggest that social reward may explain some problematic smartphone use. Given that experimental evidence about the impact of social variables on problematic smartphone use is scarce, the impact of social expectancy on emotional arousal measured with skin conductance response (SCR) was analysed during instant messaging. Method: A sample of 86 undergraduate students were randomly assigned to two groups. Experimental group participants were instructed to send a social expectation-generating message to their more active contacts in their preferred social network. After experiencing a virtual reality distraction environment, participants’ SCR was measured when they were allowed to use the smartphone and when it was withdrawn. Results: Participants in the experimental group showed a higher SCR response than the control group. Peaks analysis also showed that peak amplitude was higher in experimental participants when their smartphones were used and withdrawn. Experimental participants also showed a longer half recovery time when using the smartphone. Conclusions: Social expectancy is a critical variable in understanding problematic smartphone use and it should be considered in clinical contexts.
Antecedentes: La sociedad está presenciando dos fenómenos paralelos: el incremento mundial de usuarios de teléfonos móviles y una preocupación creciente por el uso problemático de estos dispositivos. Los modelos teóricos explicativos sugieren que la recompensa social podría explicar parte del uso problemático del teléfono móvil. Dado que la evidencia experimental sobre el impacto que lo social tiene en este fenómeno es limitada, el impacto de la expectativa social sobre el arousalemocional fue analizada mientras se usó mensajería instantánea. Método: Una muestra de 86 estudiantes se asignó aleatoriamente a dos grupos. Los participantes del grupo experimental enviaron un mensaje generador de expectativa social a sus contactos más activos usando su red social preferida. Tras un periodo de distracción, a respuesta electrodérmica de la piel se midió al usar y retirar el móvil. Resultados: El grupo experimental mostró mayores niveles de arousal. El análisis de picos muestra una mayor amplitud en el grupo experimental cuando se usó y se retiró el móvil. Un tiempo de recuperación medio más largo se observó en el grupo experimental al usar el móvil. Conclusiones: La expectativa social es una variable crítica para conceptualizar el uso problemático del móvil y debería considerarse en contextos clínicos.
SPANISH
ENGLISH
https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2022.362