New Delhi: Researchers at Princeton University researchers found that cell phones can efficiently capture information that is otherwise difficult to record, given today's on-the-go lifestyle.
Thus they are developing ways to use mobile phones to explore how one's environment influences one's sense of well-being. The researchers conducted a study involving volunteers who agreed to provide information about their feelings and locations.
To conduct the study, the team created an application for the Android operating system that documented each person's location and periodically sent the question, "How happy are you?"
The investigators invited people to download the app, and over a three-week period, collected information from 270 volunteers in 13 countries who were asked to rate their happiness on a scale of 0 to 5. From the information collected, the researchers created and fine-tuned methods that could lead to a better understanding of how our environments influence emotional well-being. The study was published in the June issue of Demography.
