Although there have been plenty of reports linking cellphone usage to such things as brain tumors, a recent Australian study found a different kind of hazard related to mobile phone use in children.
The Mobile Radiofrequency Phone Exposed Users Study (MoRPhEUS) analyzed the cognitive capabilities and mobile phone use of 317 children ages 11-14. The young people who used their phones more often- with the setting that completed words automatically (predictive texting), completed tests quicker, but with a larger number of mistakes.
Epidemiologist Michael Abramson, who performed the tests for Monash University in Australia, told ABC Science that the results showed predictive texting may be teaching children to act fast, while placing less emphasis on specificity and accuracy. He added:
“If you’re used to operating in that environment and entering a couple of letters and getting the word you want, you expect to be like that”
The study will be performed again in the future, but with elementary school students as the subjects.
[via ABC Science]
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The more we know, the less we understand.
August 13th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Unfortunately, this doesn’t sound surprising at all. I’ll be interested to see the results of the study with elementary school students… although I can’t imagine at all why any of them would need cell phones.
August 13th, 2009 at 3:59 pm