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Cell Phone Ringtones Can Be Harmful to Memory, Study Finds

by Kendra Cunningham on May 30, 2009 at 03:36 PM



According to the Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL), a new study in the Journal of Environmental Psychology claims that ringtones can have a damaging effect for memory retention, especially in the classroom. Apparently, distractions, such as ringtones, can have the most impact on the memory during times when the mind is absorbing new information (during a class, business meeting, or while studying, for example). The study, conducted in part by WUSTL postdoctoral psychology fellow Jill Shelton during her time at LSU, is titled: 'The distracting effects of a ringing cell phone: An investigation of the laboratory and the classroom setting.' No longer just an everyday nuisance, ringtones are apparently now memory blockers, too.

One of the experiments included having a cell phone ring loudly for 30 seconds in a classroom while a group of students listened to a lecture. Later tested on the material, that group of students scored 25-percent worse than another, non-distracted group that had listend to the same lecture. The case also observes that certain auditory distractions are worse than others. Shelton told WUSTL, "Depending on how familiar people are with these songs, it could lead to an even worse impairment in their cognitive performance." In other words, the more you know a song, the more distracted you will be.

Maybe it's just that a blaring polyphonic version of 'Single Ladies' reminds students of better times gone by. [From: Washington University, via Textually]

Tags: cell phone, CellPhone, health, memory, ringtones, students, studies, top

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