Smombies on the Move: Exploring the Role of Digital Nudges

The growing use of smartphones by pedestrians, or "Smombies," has raised safety concerns due to distractions that lead to risky behaviors while walking. Digital nudges, based on nudge theory, offer a potential solution to promote safer smartphone use. In an outdoor experiment, participants' walking cadence was measured using a Hexoskin smart vest while they interacted with smartphones and received digital nudges. The study found that cadence significantly decreased after the delivery of nudges, with participants prioritizing safety by adopting a slower, more controlled walking pace. Differences in cadence across various nudge timing conditions underscore the impact of timing on pedestrian behavior. Despite participants adjusting their walking speed in response to nudges, this relationship was not mediated by perceived usefulness. This finding is discussed in light of cognitive dissonance theory: while digital nudges can prompt behavioral change, future research could also explore underlying dissonance to enhance effectiveness.