By Michaela Gordoni
If you’ve ever tried talking to someone while they’re on their phone, then you might understand why it’s important to keep your phone face down when you’re interacting with others.
“Keeping my phone face down is also a good rule of social etiquette: If I’m hanging out with someone, I keep my screen hidden from view as a subtle way of showing that I won’t be distracted by it,” said CNET writer Jason Chun. “I don’t want incoming notifications to light up my screen every few seconds, especially if I’m in a bar or other dimly lit setting. I want to keep my eyes on the person I’m talking to.”
It’s important to show respect when you’re talking face-to-face with others; giving them eye contact and verbal responses is a good way to do that.
“Eye contact is one of the most powerful forms of human connection. Neuroscience research indicates that when two people make direct eye contact, their brain activity begins to synchronize, supporting more effective communication and increasing empathy. This synchrony can be disrupted when attention shifts to a phone, even briefly,” said Michelle Davis, clinical psychologist at Headspace.
Though having your phone face down is better than having it right-side-up with its screen flashing at you, researchers found that having a phone on the table at all between people in conversation makes their talk less enjoyable. It’s almost like an unignorable elephant in the room that reduces the quality of conversation just by its presence.
Related: Are Smartphones Contributing to Aggression in Teens? What You Need to Know.
Keeping your phone face down can also protect your phone screen and save your phone battery. Unilad Tech adds that it’s also good for privacy and cybersecurity. Surveillance cameras these days are high-tech and allow users to zoom in to read text on phones, meaning they’re dangerous in the wrong hands.
But perhaps the most important part of keeping your phone face down is that you’re reducing its presence, especially if you keep your phone out of reach. It encourages that “out of sight, out of mind” mentality. If you can avoid thinking about checking stuff on your phone, you can be more in the present and free from distractions.
Participants from a 2021 study had better cognitive function when they weren’t around phones. When they were around their phone, even when it was face down, their cognitive function was less productive.
The phone is an addictive device and one that we are oh so reliant on, but if we can put it away or keep it face down for a little while, we’d probably be better off.
Read Next: Are You More Irritable When You’re on Your Phone? Here’s Why…
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