ABSTRACT
Our
smartphones
enable
—
and
encourage
—
constant
connection
to
information
,
entertainment
,
and
each
other
.
They
put
the
world
at
our
fingertips
,
and
rarely
leave
our
sides
.
Although
these
devices
have
immense
potential
to
improve
welfare
,
their
persistent
presence
may
come
at
a
cognitive
cost
.
In
this
research
,
we
test
the
“
brain
drain
”
hypothesis
that
the
mere
presence
of
one
’
s
own
smartphone
may
occupy
limited
-
capacity
cognitive
resources
,
thereby
leaving
fewer
resources
available
for
other
tasks
and
undercutting
cognitive
performance
.
Results
from
two
experiments
indicate
that
even
when
people
are
successful
at
maintaining
sustained
attention
—
as
when
avoiding
the
temptation
to
check
their
phones
—
the
mere
presence
of
these
devices
reduces
available
cognitive
capacity
.
Moreover
,
these
cognitive
costs
are
highest
for
those
highest
in
smartphone
dependence
.
We
conclude
by
discussing
the
practical
implications
of
this
smartphone
-
induced
brain
drain
for
consumer
decision
-
making
and
consumer
welfare
.