051 - Stop Phubbing Up Our Happiness: Smartphones, Social Connection, and School Bans | Dr Carli Ochs

In Episode 51 of Researching Happy, host Dr Matthew Iasiello engages Dr. Carli Ochs, a postdoctoral researcher at Georgetown University’s Happy Tech Lab, in a lively discussion about the impact of smartphones on social wellbeing. Dr. Ochs, fresh from her PhD in Switzerland, explores "phubbing" (phone snubbing), where smartphone use disrupts face-to-face interactions, and its effects on mood and social connectedness. Drawing from her field experiments, she reveals how even brief phone-free breaks in university settings boost conversations and wellbeing, while highlighting cross-cultural differences in social norms around phone use. The episode delves into the case for smartphone bans in schools, weighing their potential to enhance mental health against concerns about restriction, and reflects on the broader societal implications of our phone-dependent culture. With humor and insight, this conversation uncovers the delicate balance between technology’s benefits and its hidden costs.