All our smartphones come with a built-in accelerometer. This is a sensor used to detect the motions in our phones, where it will be able to detect how your phone is being held to determine screen orientation. It can also be used in games, used to detect how fast you’re driving, how many steps you’ve taken, and so on.
However, did you know that it could also be used to determine certain personality traits? As it turns out, it can. This is according to a study done by researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) where they found that the sensor could actually be used to predict five key personality traits.
This is based on data like how far we walk, when we walk, how often we pick up our phones during the night, and so on. It also found that “agreeable” people tend to have more random activity patterns and tend to be busier on weekends and weekday evenings. They also found that women who are classified as “sensitive” check their phones regularly well into the night, while men who are also classified as “sensitive” do the opposite.
So, what does this study mean? According to the researchers, they believe that this data can be used for social media purposes, such as friend recommendations, date matches, or even targeted advertising. It is an interesting study, although it should also be taken with a grain of salt. This is because the study’s sample size is rather small with just 52 participants, so it might not necessarily be as accurate as one would hope.