A study of 320 adult mobile phone users found
that two-thirds of participants experience a “phantom ringing” phenomenon during which they hear their cell phone
ring or feel it vibrate even when it is not. The study, conducted at Alliant International University,
Los Angeles, found differences between participants of different
ages, but no significant differences between the sexes.
David Laramie, Ph.D., an alumnus of Alliant’s
California School of Professional Psychology, led the study. “I decided a couple years ago
to do my dissertation on mobile phone use and behavior. One curious thing that I had experienced, as had friends and classmates,
was the phantom ring. Because I was unable to find any previous writing or research on the phenomenon, I decided to include
it as part of my research,” Laramie writes via
an e-mail exchange with demo dirt.
Phantom ringing
usually occurs in a stimulus-rich environment. “The most common places to experience phantom rings were in public, such
as [when] walking around, [in] restaurants or in the car,” adds Laramie.
The study measured subjects’
levels of loneliness, social anxiety, impulsivity, mobile phone use for affect (mood)
regulation, and problem mobile phone use. Participants were asked how strongly they agreed with statements such as, “I
feel lost without my mobile phone” and “I feel anxious if I have not checked for messages or turned on my mobile
phone for some time.” Higher levels of impulsivity, social anxiety and loneliness correlated with problem phone use.
Participants with higher levels of social anxiety found the phone was a “mediator” which they used to “modulate
affect,” or change their moods and feelings of social connectedness.
Respondents who preferred to text message
rather than speak on the phone rated higher in terms of loneliness, social anxiety, and problem phone use. Findings suggest
that “some individuals do show a great deal of reliance on their mobile phones for regulating their moods and maintaining
social connectedness. Such behavior is particularly likely among those people who prefer text messaging," says the report.
Another standout finding was the age factor.
While there was no significant difference between men and women, there was a strong correlation between phantom ringing and
the younger group. Respondents ranged in ages between 18 and 86, with a mean age of approximately 35. Younger respondents
were more likely than older ones to experience phantom ringing. The younger group also had higher monthly charges, used more
minutes, sent more text messages, was more impulsive, and used the phone to modulate their moods more often. Overall, younger
subjects were more likely to engage in problem phone use.
“As for age difference,
the 'yes' phantom ringing group was significantly younger (31 years old compared to 44),” explains Laramie.
Laramie, whose degree is in Clinical
Psychology with a Health Emphasis, is currently completing an internship at the Wright Institute in Los Angeles. He is planning future research in this area. “I will continue to examine
my current data and hopefully future data to see if there are any personality or phone usage variables that predict the nature
or frequency of phantom rings.”
