The more someone uses a smartphone, the less likely they are to trust people from other religions or nationalities and even neighbours, according to new research.

But the researchers found reliance on smartphones had no correlation with how much people trust those from their inner circle, such as family members.

Psychologists Kostadin Kushlev of the University of Virginia and Jason Proulx of the University of British Columbia set out to investigate if using smartphones is associated with declining level of trust in others – what they call the “social lubricant of society”.

Their study, titled The Social Costs of Ubiquitous Information: Consuming Information on Mobile Phones is Associated with Lower Trust, also says that demographic factors do not explain these findings.

“We theorised that mobile information erodes trust in strangers by interfering with casual opportunities to talk with strangers and by obviating the need to rely on others,” the researchers said.

But they say it is possible that the correlation could be understood in the reverse: that people who trust others less might be more likely to use their mobile phones for information.

“For example, smartphone users are less inclined to ask people for advice of information – such as directions,” the study said.

The study surveyed 2,187 people in the US asking questions on how often they used mobile phones or other sources of information and how much they trust other groups, including foreigners, strangers and family.

They also assessed whether this relationship depends on social bonds.

“The pattern of findings is consistent with the possibility that the access to mobile information may be eroding trust by compromising the building of weak bonds with other members of the community but not with others,” the study said.

It said that because information media covers is primarily negative such as war, terrorism and crime, keeping abreast of new information may breed distrust regardless of how and where people access information.

The study said people in rural areas are less likely to use their phones for information while also being more likely to trust others.

“Throughout history, transformative technologies have generated concerns about unintended consequences on social and societal well-being,” the study said.

“While speculation about social costs of mobile technology is rampant, we found empirical evidence that the convenience inherent in always-accessible information is associated with lower trust.

“We found evidence that consuming information through mobile phones – but not through other common methods – predicted lower trust in other members of society,” the study said.
“As new technologies continue to revolutionise how millions of people access information around the globe, even tiny effects on trust can have big implications for the health of individuals, economies and nations,” it said.

“Just as information technology continues to make our lives easier, our findings highlight possible unforseen social costs of instant, ubiquitous information access. By turning to convenient electronic devices, people may be forgoing opportunities to foster trust – the social lubricant of society,” the authors said.

Laurie Nowell
AMES Australia Senior Journalist