Positives And Negatives Of Using Cell Phones In Schools

There has also been a shift in the manners associated with cell phones. There is a general gray area of uncertainty when it comes to the proper time to use a cell phone now. They can be seen whipped out at doctors’ offices, schools, restaurants, in cars, when crossing the street: everywhere. Students take them out while a teacher is instructing important material because obviously a Facebook notification is more important than their education. A patient may have cancer but they’ll put the doctor on hold because it’s impossible to put their best friend’s call on hold. Sure they may be driving but nobody else’s life is more important than the text that cannot wait another 15 minutes. An article in the New York Times displayed this disconnect …show more content…
Likewise, there are triggers for someone to pull their phone out. A vibration or notification produces a fight-or-flight response in the brain during which dopamine is released (Kaminski 8). But the amount of dopamine released is rather insignificant so the brain craves more and begs for a similarly more potent release of dopamine. In order to suffice this desire, the individual checks their phone to see what was so important. They aren’t always in the most appropriate position to do so but their desire to check their phone trumps their moral reasoning. One way to view this is as a “Pavlovian response” to the notification (Metz 3). In Pavlov’s experiment, he conditioned dogs to believe that every time a bell rang they were going to be fed. The dogs began to salivate when they heard the bell although there was a clear absence of food. With cell phones, people are being conditioned that when a notification is received it means there is an important message that needs to be responded to, a life-changing post on Twitter, or some call that cannot be ignored. They can’t wait to respond because they want to remain up to date and in tune with their mobile community and surroundings. To put that in perspective, 90% of texts are responded to within three minutes of being received (Kaminski 8). This immediate reaction can be likened unto when an addict sees, smells, or thinks about their …show more content…
The screens on the modern smartphones produce blue light which causes various issues (“Blue Light Has a Dark Side” 1). The light itself influences one’s circadian rhythms which control the body’s internal clock for sleep patterns (“Blue Light Has a Dark Side” 1). It will make the body believe it is not yet time for rest and create a massive sleep debt that would be quite difficult to overcome and sleep deprivation. Not having enough sleep can lead to all sorts of other health issues such as weight gain, high blood pressure, strokes, heart problems, and various other complications. The blue light lowers the amount of melatonin in the body which can cause cancer, raises blood sugar levels in the body which causes diabetes, and lowers a protein called leptin which is responsible for satiation after a meal (“Blue Light Has a Dark Side”1). If the leptin is decreased then the individual will consistently overeat and that can lead to obesity. The cell phone also interferes with one’s mental productivity. A study showed that it takes 50% longer to complete a task when someone has their phone on them than if it was off (Kaminski 8). Another effect of cell phones is texting thumb and carpel tunnel. This occurs when someone is using the phone’s keyboard far too often and that repetitive motion causes pain in the thumbs of the user. These sorts of issues are alarming but seem to have been swept under the