Researchers from the Helsinki Institute for Information Technology have identified repetitive and obsessive use of the devices, the Daily Mail has reported.
Indeed, they have established what they call 'checking habits', when users frequently look at the menu screen, emails and contacts list on their handset.
According to the research team, a typical check lasts less than 30 seconds.
Lead researcher Antti Oulasvirta commented: "What concerns us here is that if your habitual response to, say, boredom, is that you pick up the phone to find interesting stimuli, you will be systematically distracted from the more important things happening around you.
"Habits are automatically triggered behaviours and compromise the more conscious control that some situations require."
The team explained that a significant proportion of smartphone use consists solely of checkings, wireless communication device users may be interested to learn.
Posted by Andre Dixon
