Researchers are using Google’s app to study the effect of phones on mental health

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

The University of Oregon is doing a study on the effect phones have on mental health, using Google’s Health Studies app. The goal of the study is to see how people are actually using their phones andhow that affects their well-being. A post on the company blog written by one of the lead researchers on the projectsays thatthe aim of the research will ultimately be able to help companies design better products and even shape policy and education in the future.

According to the blog post, researchers are using the app because it can help them get a better picture of how people actually use their phones,as opposed to other studies when people are asked totrack and report their ownusage of apps — a method that can be less accurate than...