Smartphone-size screens constrain cognitive access to video news stories
Date
2019-06-25Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Smartphones are expanding physical access to news and political
information by making access to the internet available to more
people, at more times throughout the day, and in more locations
than ever before. But how does the portability of smartphones –
afforded by their small size – affect cognitive access to news?
Specifically, how do smartphone-size screens constrain
attentiveness and arousal? We investigate how mobile technology
constrains cognitive engagement through a lab-experimental
study of individuals’ psychophysiological responses to network
news on screens the size of a typical laptop computer, versus a
typical smartphone. We explore heart rate variability, skin
conductance levels, and the connection between skin
conductance and the tone of news content. Results suggest lower
levels of cognitive access to video news content on a mobilesized
screen, which has potentially important consequences for
public attention to current affairs in an increasingly mobile media
environment.
Department
CommunicationCollections
Citation
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