Marketplace Tech New study reveals a "smartphone penalty" that distorts survey results
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Feb 9, 2026 Carly Urban, an economics professor at Montana State University who co-authored a study on surveys and smartphones, discusses how device choice changes responses. She explains the ‘‘smartphone penalty’’ and how phone use, low effort, question position, and rising mobile participation can distort measured financial knowledge. The conversation also flags risks from future tools like AI helpers.
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Successful GoFundMe By Clear Storytelling
- Stephanie Hughes recounts Mackenzie's GoFundMe success raising $10,000 quickly for an adoptive mother.
- The story illustrates clear storytelling can mobilize generous support.
Smartphone Use Skews Survey Results
- Survey mode has changed: smartphone use rose from 0% in 2009 to 55% in 2021 for the FINRA study.
- Carly Urban's experiment shows people answer worse and say "don't know" more often on phones.
Randomized Test Confirms A 'Phone Penalty'
- A randomized experiment forced respondents to use specific devices and found a clear phone penalty.
- The effect shows up quickly and applies to general knowledge as well as financial questions.