UC Blue Ash professor publishes research about reducing smartphone usage

Research conducted by a University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College professor shines some light on how colors impact the amount of time individuals spend scrolling through their phones. Alex J. Holte, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at UC Blue Ash, was the lead author of a published study examining the correlation between smartphone usage in college-age students and combating overconsumption of screen time by removing the colors from their screens.

“I read that individuals are drawn to bright, saturated colors and thought the color itself might contribute to an individual’s technology use,” says Holte. “If you look at all top applications, they all use bright colors. My thinking was scrolling on Instagram probably isn’t going to be as much fun when in black and white.”

In one study, Holte found the efficacy of grayscale, an accessibility feature most smartphone brands offer, contributed to a reduction of smartphone use by an average of 39 minutes per day among a group of approximately 220 students. In a follow-up study by Holte and his collaborators, of the nearly 135 participants who changed their displays to grayscale, many saw a significant decrease in screen time as well as their anxiety levels.