Is Texting as Distracting as you Think?

Foley, B.V. and Hanks-Witaszek, E.B. 2013.

Table of Contents

Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………….1

Question and Hypothesis…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..1

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………1

Independent and Dependent Variables…………………………………………………………………………………..1-2

Procedure………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….2

Materials…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………2-3

Control Variables……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….3

Results………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..….3-5

Data...... …...6

Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6

Sources of Error………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6-7

Future Considerations………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..7

Works Cited……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….7

AbstractTexting has become more and more popular over the past decade, due to its ease and simplicity. However, texting has also been proven as distracting, and even deadly, when done while driving or completing other demanding tasks. The purpose of this experiment was to finddetermine if texting affects someone’s ability to retain information. To test this, we began by grouping people into age cohorts containing fifteen people each. We had them watch a two minute clip of the show The Big Bang Theory and complete a questionnaire based on the clip. After this, we gave them a standard text message to type on their iPhones while watching a different clip from the same show and complete another questionnaire containing another set of questions. When this was completed, we graded the questionnaires and recorded the results to see if the scores fluctuated. The experiment showed that texting was a distraction to everyone and provided a significant decrease in scores from the first questionnaire to the second. Overall, the 19-30 year old age cohort demonstrated that they have the best ability to multi-task while texting. However, the 14-18 and 41-60 year old age group’s focus were proved to be affected equally by texting.

QuestionDoes texting impair your ability to retain information?

HypothesisIf people text while watching a television program,then their ability to recall the information pertaining to the television program will be diminished.

Introduction Text messaging is a large part of most Americans everyday life. Whether it’s just to send a quick “Hi” or carry out a long conversation, most people feel as though texting is a necessity. While it can be convenient at times, texting also has its downfalls. It has been proven that texting delays reaction time. (Cooper, 2011) This has even caused many states to ban texting while driving. (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 2013) But is driving the only thing that can be affected by texting? This led us to test whether texting could affect someone’s ability to retain information.

Independent VariablesThe Independent variable in this experiment is theamount of time spent texting.

The Dependent variable is the score each personscores on a questionnaire pertaining to the television program they watched while texting.

Procedure

  1. Separate test subjectsinto cohorts of15 people
  2. Play a 2 minute clip of The Big Bang Theory and make sure there are no distractions
  3. Have each person complete a questionnaire (1) based on the show, which is the “control group”
  4. Provide each person with a cell phone and a paper with the same exact text message that they are to type
  5. Play another 2 minute section of a different episode of The Big Bang Theory while the people are texting
  6. Have each person complete a different questionnaire (2) based on the second Big Bang Theory clip
  7. Compare how well each different cohort did on the first questionnaire and the second questionnaire

Materials

  1. 15 people for each specific cohort
  2. Same cell phone brand for each participant
  3. A computer to play a television program on
  4. Questionnaires with 10 questions based on the television program
  5. Handouts for each participant with a standard message for them to type
  6. Room to conduct the experiment in
  7. Internet access to play the show
  8. Microsoft Word program
  9. Microsoft Excel program
  10. Dell laptop

Controlled Variables

  1. age within a cohort (14-18, 19-25 etc.list all, never use etc.)
  2. amount of time spent listening to the television program
  3. the message each person types
  4. phone brand they use to type
  5. the television program they watch
  6. the volume of the television program
  7. no additional distractions
  8. questionnaires each participant fills out


Results

Your page numbers are appearing in odd places, check that when printing thefinal copy.





Data

14-18 / 19-30 / 31-40 / 41-60
0% / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
17% / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
33% / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
50% / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1
67% / 3 / 2 / 5 / 2
83% / 8 / 4 / 3 / 8
100% / 4 / 9 / 6 / 4
14-18 / 19-30 / 31-40 / 41-60
0% / 2 / 7 / 5 / 1
17% / 5 / 0 / 4 / 3
33% / 3 / 2 / 2 / 6
50% / 3 / 3 / 4 / 4
67% / 2 / 3 / 0 / 0
83% / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1
100% / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0

ConclusionOurThehypothesis -if people text while watching a television program, their ability to recall the information pertaining to the television program will be diminished - was proven correct. This experiment was conducted within four different age cohorts. Overall, the 19-30 year old age cohort demonstrated the best overall scores on both questionnaires. This shows that this age group has the best ability to multi-task while texting. However, the 14-18 and 41-60 year old age cohort had the lowest percentage of decrease of scores from the first questionnaire to the second. This shows that the 14-18 and 41-60 year old age group’s focus are affected equally by the action of texting. While texting is distracting to all of us, it is interesting that texting affects different age groups differently. Give me more! If it is so interesting, then tell me about it.Why should I care? What does this show?

Sources of Error

  1. Sample size is too small.
  2. Not all people completed the experiment in the same room.So?
  3. Some people are able to multi-task better than others.

Future ConsiderationsIf we were to conduct this experiment again, we would make some changes. First of all, we would use a much larger sample size, such as 500OK, maybe not 500, but maybe 200?people for each cohort. Also, the results would have been more accurate if all of the experiments had been conducted in the same room.Why?

Works Cited

"Cellphone and Texting Laws." Map of Texting Bans. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2013.

"Distracted Driving | State Laws | Texting and Driving." Distracted Driving | State Laws | Texting and Driving. US Government, n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2013.

"Drivers Who Text Are Six Times More Likely to Crash." LiveScience.com. N.p., 21 Dec. 2009. Web. 06 Apr. 2013.

"News." CBS Miami. CBS News, 6 Oct. 2011. Web. 06 Apr. 2013.