Technologies to Monitor and Promote sustainable Health Behaviour

Smartphones have become an integral part of our daily lives. On the way to work, at school, university, or during leisure time, our gaze often and almost automatically falls on the smartphone display. These devices offer many advantages: they facilitate communication, provide access to information, and serve as platforms for social interaction. However, intensive smartphone use also has its downsides, especially when it comes to our productivity and mental health. Research has shown that excessive smartphone use can lead to stress, distraction, and a decline in well-being.

A "digital detox," or the conscious reduction or abstention from the use of digital devices, presents a potential solution to mitigate the negative effects on well-being and mental health. Such breaks can be achieved by simply putting the smartphone away or through technological support like apps that monitor usage time. However, research shows mixed results: some studies have found that such breaks help improve well-being, while others have noted negative consequences, such as increased anxiety during the smartphone break. This indicates that better strategies are needed to promote healthy smartphone use.

This is where the TEMPHEALTH project comes in: the project aims to help individuals develop strategies to improve their smartphone use and to plan and reduce their daily smartphone usage duration.

In collaboration with the School of Computing & Information Systems at the University of Melbourne, we also aim to explore technical solutions through apps. Users will be supported by subtle prompts or nudges to become more aware of their smartphone usage behaviour, especially in relation to digital media consumption.

The goal of the TEMPHEALTH project is to investigate how healthy smartphone use can be promoted through the collaboration of the fields of Computer Science and Psychology

 

Investigator: Lina Christin Brockmeier, lina.brockmeier[at]fu-berlin.de

Principal Investigator (PI) at Freie Universität Berlin: Dr. Jan Keller 

Cooperation partner: School of Computing & Information Systems, University of Melbourne, Australia

Project duration: April 2023 till September 2026

Project funding: Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the state of Berlin within the framework of the Excellence Strategy of the federal and state governments through the Berlin University Alliance 

 

Research team: Freie Universität Berlin 

Dr. Jan Keller (Principle Investigator, PI)

Prof. Dr. Nina Knoll (Co-PI)

MSc. Lina Christin Brockmeier (Investigator)      

Department of Education and Psychology, Division of Health Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin             

 

Research team: University of Melbourne

Dr. Tilman Dingler (Principle Investigator, PI)

Prof. Dr. Vassilis Kostakos (Co-PI)

Research Group: Human Computer Interaction