Have you ever heard of “The iPhone Effect”?

Get this: Imagine bringing people into a lab. Split them into two groups. One group sits down and chats with someone they’ve never met while a smartphone is visible on the table next to them. The other group sits down and chats with someone they’ve never met while a notebook is visible rather than the smartphone.

Guess what?

The group with the smartphone in sight reports a significantly diminished quality of interaction vs. the group that didn’t have the smartphone in sight.

Now, the phone wasn’t blowing up. And, it wasn’t even THEIR phone. The MERE PRESENCE of that smartphone diminished the quality of their interactions.

Enter: The iPhone Effect.

(Think about that for a moment. That’s CRAZY!!!)

The next time you’re spending time with someone, remember The iPhone Effect!! Put your phone out of sight—and, ideally, in airplane mode so you’re not feeling any vibrations that will distract you.

But…

Only if you want to enhance the quality of your interactions.