Mobile phones: The effect of its presence on learning and memory.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Controlled experimental study comparing memory recall across smartphone presence conditions without explicit mention of randomization in the abstract.
PubMed 32790667 · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0219233
What was done
A total of 119 undergraduate students completed a memory task to evaluate the effect of smartphone presence on learning and memory. Participants also completed the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) and reported their frequency of phone-conscious thoughts ("how often did you think about your phone").
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values, effect sizes, or p-values. Participants without smartphones showed higher recall accuracy than those with smartphones. Phone-conscious thought was a significant negative predictor of memory recall accuracy, while scores on the Smartphone Addiction Scale were not significantly associated with recall performance.
Why it matters
This study indicates that the mere physical proximity of a smartphone and attentional preoccupation with it may impair short-term learning and memory, independent of smartphone addiction scores.
Limits
No quantitative statistics, effect sizes, or confidence intervals are reported in the abstract. It is not stated whether participants were randomized across conditions. The sample was restricted to 119 undergraduate students, limiting generalizability to other populations and long-term educational outcomes.