By: Olivia Blumb

*DING…*BUZZ BUZZ…Oh, sorry about that, that was just a notification on my phone. We have all had that happen right? In today’s digital age, our phones are with us all the time, and it is up to decide which notifications we ignore or respond to.

While most mobile device users may think they can nonchalantly check their newest notification without anyone knowing, their nonverbal behaviors may prove otherwise. Through quick moving eye gazes and changes in body position, people show their lack of interest in a face-to-face conversation, leading their conversation partner to report a feeling of dissatisfaction or annoyance.

In a study spearheaded by Stephen DiDomenico, an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at the State University of New York at New Paltz, the researchers examined how participants who were engaged in a face-to-face conversation managed their reactions to incoming text messages.

The study showed that the utilization of both verbal and nonverbal behaviors allowed the participants to react simultaneously to the face-to-face encounter as well as the technologically-mediated encounter. The researchers analyzed how Amy, a participant, partially turned her head and gazed away from the speaker to attend to her notification, but also still listened to the speaker. Once she saw the notification, she fully turned her gaze away from the speaker to presumably read her message.

In one portion of the study where three participants were present, the researchers found that one participant was more likely to focus their attention to their phone, since the other two participants could talk to each other while the one responded to an alert. A common theme for participants in this study was to see a notification, pause their attention toward the speaker to see the notification, resume their attention toward the speaker for a short time and then attend to the notification. This kind of action by the participant is not hidden to the speaker, a speaker may feel disrespected when the person they are speaking to cannot provide their full attention to what is being said with the presence of a phone.

In another study conducted by Ryan Allred from the Department of Communication at the University of Connecticut, and his colleagues, the researchers found that even the presence of a cell phone during a conversation could affect the participants. This study stemmed from prior research that found that the presence of a cell phone acted as an environmental nuisance which can cause negative outcomes for participants in the conversation.

The study surveyed participants prior to and following a conversation to gauge their satisfaction with a conversation partner based on whether a phone a phone was present during the conversation. One group of participants was asked to recall if a phone was actually present during the conversation, and those who did recall the presence of a cell phone reported less satisfaction in the conversation.

Being present in conversations can be a challenge. Next time you are in a conversation, whether it be one on one or with multiple people, be mindful of where your phone is, what notifications it makes and how you react to it. Since the findings of Allred and Crowley suggest that even just the presence of a phone can cause dissatisfaction with a conversation, be mindful of whether your phone is in sight to the other person.

According to the research of DiDomenico and colleagues, we should also monitor our nonverbal reactions to our phones.

Don’t glance over at it mid-sentence to check your newest text. Wait until the speaker is done with their thought to check the notification, even if you are the speaker.

Don’t have every buzz and beep turned onto notify you. This can be distracting to anyone in the room or conversation. Consider only turning on necessary notifications such as a roommate, your parents or work.

Don’t hold your phone in your hand while talking, just waiting for the next buzz. This action can signify that you are disinterested in the conversation and would rather pay more attention to what is on the phone.

Try putting the phone in your pocket or a bag nearby where you can still hear or feel the necessary notifications, but it is not in the sight of the speaker.

Overall, just be mindful of a phone’s presence and be mindful of your attentiveness to it, as the device is not going away any time soon, it is here to stay.