Ever found yourself checking your phone repeatedly despite knowing there are no new notifications? This seemingly harmless habit may have more to do with our brain’s reward system, boredom and need for stimulation than we realise. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Anitha B, a clinical psychologist at Cadabams Hospitals, explains what drives this constant urge to check our phones and how it shapes our everyday behaviour.
Dr Anitha highlights that repeatedly checking our phones even when there are no notifications is often a learned behavioural habit reinforced by the brain’s reward system. Every time we unlock our phone, there is a possibility of finding something interesting, socially rewarding or emotionally significant. Over time, checking becomes an automatic response rather than a conscious decision. For some people, reaching for the phone becomes a way to manage brief moments of uncertainty, loneliness or emotional discomfort. Instead of sitting with these feelings, they instinctively seek stimulation through messages, social media or other digital content. The phone provides immediate distraction, which can reinforce the habit even if the person does not feel particularly satisfied afterwards.
“This uncertainty can make the behaviour particularly persistent because the brain begins to anticipate a potential reward even when no actual notification has arrived,” said Dr Anitha. From a psychological perspective, this behaviour can also be linked to boredom , anxiety and discomfort with inactivity, according to Dr Anitha.
