Cognitive Biases and their Relationship with Nomophobia (Fear of Losing a Mobile Phone) among a Sample of University Students

The study has aimed to explore the contribution of cognitive biases in predicting nomophobia among university students. The sample has consisted of 318 students aged between 18 and 26 years (with a mean age of 20.3 and a standard deviation of 1.6). The Cognitive Biases Scale (developed by Radwa Abdel-Fattah, 2024) and the Nomophobia Scale (developed by Tamer Kamal, 2023) have been applied. The results have revealed a positive relationship between cognitive biases and nomophobia, while no significant differences have been found in cognitive biases according to gender. However, significant differences in nomophobia have been found in favor of females. The study has also revealed no significant differences according to the place of residence, but significant differences in self-referential cognitive problems and safe behaviors have been found in favor of the age group (18–22), with no significant differences in nomophobia. Furthermore, significant differences have been found in cognitive biases and nomophobia based on the duration of mobile phone use, with differences in favor of those using their phones for more than five hours daily, except for belief rigidity and safe behaviors. Differences have also been found in favor of students from practical colleges in most variables, except for some cognitive and emotional dimensions. Additionally, significant differences have been found in the higher economic level group in certain dimensions, such as belief rigidity and loss of connection. The results have also indicated significant differences in cognitive biases in favor of students with a "Pass" grade, except for some dimensions, while social cognitive problems have been found in favor of the "Good" grade group, and nomophobia and its dimensions have been found in favor of the "Pass" grade group.