According to the research, it's all about our perception of self. When we receive work messages or automated notifications, it reminds us that we're just another entry in a database, some random person in a maze. We all have a desire to be noticed and recognized. When we constantly see a small message on an iPhone all day that could have been sent to anyone on the planet, it makes us feel less important.

When we receive messages from friends and family, it reinforces the idea that we matter to others, that our phones are there to help us be social and connect on a deeper level.

So, after turning off all of the computerized settings, the ones that are just automated reminds and not from actual living people, You'll notice that your reactions to the notifications started to change. You'll know now that the soft buzz or chime on your phone meant there was ...