For years, operant conditioning has been a fundamental concept in behavioral psychology. I had the privilege of studying with B.F. Skinner at Harvard in the ’70s. He discovered that our behavior is shaped by a system of rewards and punishments.
Research indicates that habits governed by intermittent reinforcement are the most challenging to change. This dynamic is evident in activities like casino gambling and online betting, where players seek the dopamine rush, regardless of winning or losing.
Similarly, phone apps utilize the same principle, keeping us hooked by triggering small doses of dopamine each time we check for updates. This behavior extends to newsfeeds, creating a continuous scrolling habit reminiscent of the Grateful Dead’s “Keep on Trucking,” now transformed into the mantra “Keep on Scrolling.”
Ways to NOT Manage Your Addiction to the Damn Phone:
– Throwing your phone through the window.
– Flushing your phone down the toilet after excessive on-the-toilet reading.
– Treating your phone as your best friend and taking it out for coffee.
– Having a panic attack when your phone runs out of battery.
– Hiding your phone in a forgettable place.
– Burying your phone in a time capsule, only to dig it up days later.
– Suing Apple for creating an addictive instrument.
– Declaring a ‘phone-free’ day but constantly worrying about notifications.
– Giving your phone to your 2-year-old.
– Locking away your phone in a safe and forgetting the combination.
– Throwing your phone at politicians, umpires, referees, or scam callers.
A Few Positive Ways to Manage Your Addiction to the Damn Phone:
– Set specific times to stash your phone in a drawer away from easy reach.
– Practice phone etiquette in social settings; leave your phone in your car during gatherings.
– Eliminate time-consuming apps, starting with social media platforms. Use these only on your computer in the evening.
I invite your advice on managing smartphone addiction for the next edition of Dr. Rob. Your input is highly valued.