Why consumers are willing to share personal information on smartphones

New research from Wharton marketing professors Shiri Melumad and Robert Meyer finds that people are more willing to share deeper and more personal information when communicating on a smartphone compared with a personal computer.

In their paper, Full Disclosure: How Smartphones Enhance Consumer Self-Disclosure. the professors explain that it’s the device that makes all the difference. Smartphones are always at hand, and their tiny screens and keypads require laser-focused attention, which means the user is more likely to block out other concerns.

Melumad recently joined the Wharton Business Daily radio show on Sirius XM to discuss the research. Here you can listen to the audio or read the transcript of the conversation.