Cell phones are often criticized for their disruptive impact on attention and cognition. But a recent study published in BMC Psychology has revealed a surprising effect: the presence of a cell phone actually appeared to improve reaction times in a specific cognitive task that required attentional shifts. Previous research has shown that even the mere presence of a cell phone can affect cognitive tasks by drawing attention away from the task at hand. However, the specifics of how cell phones influence attentional control, the ability to allocate cognitive resources to achieve specific mental go…