The widespread adoption of smartphones has been associated with the emergence of problematic smartphone use. Problematic smartphone use is consistently associated with increased levels of depression and lower self-control, and pathological technology use more generally may be associated with reduced activity in the reward system, an effect that is also observed in depression and with poor self-control. The current study sought to examine the association between problematic smartphone use and event-related potentials (ERPs) related to reward processing, and to determine whether reward processing, depressive symptoms and self-control have shared or unique influences on problematic smartphone use. The sample was drawn from a university student population (N = 94, age M = 19.34, SD = 1.23 years, 67 female, 25 male, 1 gender non-conforming, 1 unidentified). Participants performed a gambling task while EEG was recorded and completed measures of smartphone pathology, depressive symptoms and self-control. The ERP data revealed that increasing problematic smartphone use was associated with reduced ERP amplitude for gains and losses when individuals were the agent of choice, but not when the computer chose. This may reflect a selective association between problematic smartphone use and neural prediction errors. Regression analyses revealed that reward processing, depressive symptoms and self-control were predictors of problematic smartphone use, possibly revealing multiple pathways to problematic smartphone use.

智能手机的广泛采用与智能手机使用问题的出现有关。有问题的智能手机使用始终与抑郁程度增加和自控能力降低有关，而病理技术的使用更普遍可能与奖励系统活动减少有关，这种影响在抑郁和自控能力差的情况下也观察到。目前的研究试图检查有问题的智能手机使用与与奖励处理相关的事件相关电位 (ERP) 之间的关联，并确定奖励处理、抑郁症状和自我控制是否对有问题的智能手机使用有共同或独特的影响。样本来自大学生群体（N = 94，年龄 M = 19.34，SD = 1.23 岁，67 女性，25 男性，1 性别不合格，1 不明）。参与者在记录脑电图的同时执行赌博任务，并完成智能手机病理、抑郁症状和自我控制的测量。ERP 数据显示，当个人是选择的代理人时，增加有问题的智能手机使用与 ERP 收益和损失幅度降低有关，但当计算机选择时则不然。这可能反映了有问题的智能手机使用与神经预测错误之间的选择性关联。回归分析显示，奖励处理、抑郁症状和自我控制是智能手机使用问题的预测因素，可能揭示了智能手机使用问题的多种途径。ERP 数据显示，当个人是选择的代理人时，增加有问题的智能手机使用与 ERP 收益和损失幅度的降低有关，但当计算机选择时则不然。这可能反映了有问题的智能手机使用与神经预测错误之间的选择性关联。回归分析显示，奖励处理、抑郁症状和自我控制是智能手机使用问题的预测因素，可能揭示了智能手机使用问题的多种途径。ERP 数据显示，当个人是选择的代理人时，增加有问题的智能手机使用与 ERP 收益和损失幅度的降低有关，但当计算机选择时则不然。这可能反映了有问题的智能手机使用与神经预测错误之间的选择性关联。回归分析显示，奖励处理、抑郁症状和自我控制是智能手机使用问题的预测因素，可能揭示了智能手机使用问题的多种途径。