Smartphone Notifications Disrupt Focus for 7 Seconds, Study Reveals

• A new study found that a single smartphone notification can disrupt an individual’s focus for up to seven seconds.
• Published in Computers in Human Behavior, the research highlights the cognitive impact of constant digital interruptions.
• Disruption increased when notifications were perceived as personally relevant or emotionally significant.
• The study observed 180 university students completing the Stroop task, receiving notifications at unpredictable intervals.
• Researchers found notifications led to temporary slowing of information processing and cognitive performance, with frequency of interactions being a stronger predictor of disruption than screen-on time.