NewRoFoundation

To New Rochelle High School junior Joshua Ramnanan, it was an eye-opener.

He knew cellphones had become a must-have fixture among teens. What he learned from conducting a study of cellphone use was how much people rely on the devices across all age and geographic demographics.

“We are sort of always on our phones,’’ he said.

Ramnanan’s study, assisted by a crowdsourcing marketplace called Mechanical Turk, reached 1,114 people as far away as Asia and South America. It was performed last summer, and while focused on phone use during the pandemic, the study provided timeless data illustrating our dependence on cellphones.

The survey asked 33 questions, from the phone’s connection to sleep schedules, to relationships, to contact with family and friends. His conclusions: Excessive cellphone use can have devastating effects and should be monitored closely. It affects people around the world, regardless of age or gender.

One survey answer in particular resonated: Do you feel that you are addicted to your phone? Ramnanan was surprised that about a third of respondents acknowledged that they were.

Ramnanan is considering taking the research further with the next topic: “Social media’s effect on depression.’’ He envisions a future in the behavioral sciences and medical fields, perhaps as a pediatrician. In the meantime, he was aware of immediate actions he could take for himself.

“I can definitely use my phone more productively,’’ he said. “I definitely feel like I need to use my phone a little less.’’