Obsessions, Addictions and Compulsions | Adam Alter on the danger of irresistible technology

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Did you know that the average American checks email within 6 seconds of arriving at work? Or that 75% of adults say they spend the entire day within an arm’s reach of their phones?</span></p> <p>Whether we want to admit it or not, the smartphone has become a critical extension of our lives. And it’s easy to understand why. Smartphone technology allows us a number of communication options including voice calls, text messages, video chat and instant messenger. We have immediate access to the information and are constantly connected to the web. And with the advancement of mobile technology, we can do our banking, shop online, check movie times, check our heart rates, edit photos, publish blog posts - anytime, anywhere.</p> <p>But what is this convenience really costing us?</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this episode of the Tony Robbins Podcast, we’re talking with renowned social psychologist,</span> <a href= "http://adamalterauthor.com"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adam Alter</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Adam is an Associate Professor of Marketing at New York University’s Stern School of Business. He is also the New York Times bestselling author of two books:</span> <a href= "http://adamalterauthor.com/irresistible/"><em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Irresistible</span></em></a><span style= "font-weight: 400;">, which considers why so many people today are addicted to so many behaviors, from incessant smart phone use and internet use to video game playing and online shopping. And</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Drunk Tank Pink</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which investigates how hidden forces in the world around us shape our thoughts, feelings and behaviors.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adam has also written</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">for the</span> <em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">New York Times, New Yorker, Washington Post, Atlantic, WIRED, Slate, Huffington Post, and Popular Science,</span