Technology and Awareness: Does Haptic Interaction with Technology Interfere with Attention to Surroundings?

Interactive technologies are an integral part of life in the information age, but does using these technologies decrease awareness of surroundings? Sixty-eight students from a mid-Western liberal arts college were recruited to study this phenomenon. Participants were asked to complete simple math problems either on an iPad or on paper and clipboard while walking down a hallway. They were then asked to recall the number of mirrors in the hallway. We expect to find that people using interactive technology will recall fewer mirrors than those using paper. This has implications for integration of technology into the classroom and for public safety.