What your phone usage says about you

Mobile phone habits seem to be driven most strongly by uncontrolled impulses and not by the desire to pursue rewards, say researchers. Photo / Getty

In this day and age, many of us treat our smartphones like an extension of our bodies.

It's your go-to for everything: phone calls, texts, listening to music, taking photos, browsing the internet, pretending to scroll mindlessly in awkward public situations.

But a new study has drawn a connection between how compulsively we check our phones on a day-to-day basis, and our personalities.

Researchers from Temple University found that those who are obsessed with checking their smartphones frequently are more likely to be impulsive, impatient and lacking in self-control.

The study had 91 university students complete a series of surveys and cognitive tests, detailing how often they checked their phones and the types of activities they used it for.

The students were told to pick between a smaller sum of money offered immediately, or a larger sum of money offered at a later time - an assessment comparing the relationship between gratification and being rewarded.

The two researchers behind it, Henry Wilmer and Jason Chein, concluded that those who constantly check their phones are the types of people who need instant gratification.

"Mobile technology habits, such as frequent checking, seem to be driven most strongly by uncontrolled impulses and not by the desire to pursue rewards," said Wilmer in a statement.

He also said that the study could further demonstrate that our youngest generation has poor impulse control as a result of advancing personal technologies.

Chein said: "The findings provide important insights regarding the individual difference factors that relate to technology engagement.

"These findings are consistent with the common perception that frequent smartphone use goes hand in hand with impatience and impulsivity."

Now think about that time you guiltily devoured a whole box of chocolates on a whim, or couldn't resist just two (which turned into four!) more glasses of wine. Do you struggle to keep a firm grip on your impulses?

Start by ditching the smartphone for a bit, or at least checking it less frequently. Those texts can wait.

- news.com.au