Consumer Behavior

A large-scale literature synthesis finds adults spoke 28% fewer words aloud to others from 2005 to 2019 (16,632 words on average in 2005), with pandemic-era and digital/texting trends likely contributing, based on 22 studies and over 2,000 participants.

Phone-free bars and restaurants are expanding nationwide, with at least 11 states plus Washington, D.C. hosting venues, amid a broader digital-detox trend and measurable device usage patterns.

The Verge Optimizer piece narrates quitting AI-driven fitness plans after a year of mixed results, highlighting quantified personal metrics (e.g., 16 minutes shaved off a 4-mile run, 10 pounds lost) and a later regain of weight.