apa smarthphones as mobile labs for psychological research

Smartphones as Mobile Labs for Psychological Research


Smartphone Revolution

1.5 Billion Smartphone Subscriptions Worldwide:China (354 million) & US (219 million)

Source: KPCB Internet Trends, May 29, 2013


Japan 76%

Korea 67%

Canada 63%

Austrailia/Sweden 60%

Hong Kong 59%

Netherlands/USA 58%

UK 53%

Smartphone Subscriptions as % of Total Mobile Subscriptions

Countries with Smartphones as the Dominant Mobile Device

Source: KPCB Internet Trends, May 29, 2013


Americans & Smartphones

Smartphones as Mobile Labs for Psychological ResearchThe Smartphone is the Swiss Army Knife for Modern Life


Nokia Lumia 920 Apple iPhone 5 Samsung Galaxy S3

What’s Inside the Box?


Fast & powerful – three & quad core processor1+ GB RAM8 megapixel cameraHigh pixel density screensHD video recordingGPSBluetoothWiFiPortability – weighs less than 5 ouncesLots of sensors: e.g., ambient light and noise, temperature, location, movement

Common Smartphone Features


“Dys” iTunes App (Stephane Dufau, CNRS & Aix-Marseille University) Input Settings


“Dys” iTunes App (Stephane Dufau, CNRS & Aix-Marseille University) Subject Data


“Dys” iTunes App (Stephane Dufau, CNRS & Aix-Marseille University) Experimental Task


“Dys” iTunes App (Stephane Dufau, CNRS & Aix-Marseille University) Data Analysis & Storage


OpenSesame (Sebastiaan Mathôt, project manager, CNRS & Aix-Marseille University)

Mathôt,S., Schreij, D., & Theeuwes, J. (2012). OpenSesame: An open-source, graphical experiment builder for the social sciences. Behavior Research Methods, 44(2), 314-324.


Ecological Validity and Ulric Neisser

Neisser,U. (1976). Cognition and Reality. New York: W.H. Freeman.

“contemporary studies of cognitive processes usually use stimulus material that is abstract, discontinuous, and only marginally real. It is almost as if ecological invalidity were a deliberate feature of the experimental design.”


Ecological Validity According to Egon Brunswik

Ecological validity can be achieved when there is a representative sampling of “a large sample of everyday situations drawn from the ecology of an adult subject”. It is critical that the researcher not interfere with the ecology, but study how the individual adapts and interacts within the environment.

Brunswik,E. (1966). The psychology of Egon Brunswik. New York: Holt, Reinhart and Winston.


Ecological Momentary Sampling (EMS)

•Based upon method developed by Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi in the late 1970’s – “Experience Sampling Method” (ESM)

•”Ecological” – mulitple, immediate reports of subjective experiences, behaviors, and physiological functioning in a person’s natural setting.

•”Momentary” – data collected at a particular moment in time

•”Sampling” – permits multiple reports per individual over time

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2007). Experience Sampling Method: Measuring the Quality of Everyday Life. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.


MyExperience (Jon Froehlich, U of Maryland)

http://sourceforge.net/projects/myexperience/?source=navbar)


Mobilyze! (David Mohr, Northwestern University’sCenter for Behavioral Intervention Technologies)

•EMS•Context-sensing•Uses machine learning

Burns, M.N., Begale, N., Duffecy, J., Karr, J., Giangrande, E., Mohr, D.C. (2011). Harnessing context sensing to develop a mobile intervention for depression. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 13(3):e55.


Smartphones are a Goldmine for Psychologists

•Reduce research costs•Increase research participant pool•Study behavior in real-time and natural settings•Opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration•New role of psychologist in the on-going digital revolution

Allison Hermann, Ph.D.Illuminer Mobile [email protected]

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