While the study was small in scope, the take-away from the New York Times article here
Addresses not just an “addictive” nature to mobile engagement – But it goes further — To a “love” of our mobile devices.
The subjects’ brains responded to the sound of their phones as they would respond to the presence or proximity of a girlfriend, boyfriend or family member.
Virtual characters and agents designed for mobile engagement fulfill the 2-way communication needs associated with the devices — the raison d’etre they have evolved to evoke such deep emotion. We’re 99.9% certain that this “love” has not come into being due to GPS sensors, mobile banner ads or even “push” notifications.
To fulfill and make “love last,” emotionally compelling mobile content experiences matter!
I’d posit that mobile devices have evolved to evoke “love” because they’ve become our most important communication channel with friends and family (other than face-to-face).
While the article focused on iPhone users and implies that it is a more “loved” device than others, we’d challenge that assertion and suspect it is a cross-device phenomenon. Simply, iPhone users like to express their affection a little louder than the rest of us!
For those in the mobile content business, we hope the take-away here is that to keep the love flowing, you’ve got to deliver emotionally rewarding content – not just click-throughs — this is NOT the static web.
CAVEAT: Some really smart people have taken issue with the study (not just the thinness, but detail level) and that should be noted: http://www.talyarkoni.org/blog/2011/10/01/the-new-york-times-blows-it-big-time-on-brain-imaging/
While the technical aspects are worth questioning, the underlying notion that mobile devices are held to be extremely personal by their owners remains fairly solid. Just try taking one away from someone…or, see how they fare when they lose their device? It doesn’t take an MRI to tell you that you are touching on emotions, not just rational thought.
