Information Processing Biases Caused by Device Associations

Various associations are made with technological devices (e.g., smartphones are associated with being social). Previous work found that associations and stereotypes can impact the speed at which information is processed. However there is limited knowledge regarding if the associations we make with the devices we use effect information processing speeds. In this study, participants used a desktop/laptop or a smartphone to view words associated with these devices. They were asked to indicate the colour the word was written in and the time taken to complete the task was measured. The results suggested that words related to the device being used led to longer response times, indicating that stimuli associated with the device being used can slow down information processing. This suggests that the device being used may impact cognitive
processes, which may be problematic in research using technology to assess these abilities. The further implications for user experience are also discussed.