Study claims that increasing screen time is killing your cognitive abilities

The escalation in young people’s screen time is proving to be perilous, exerting a considerable adverse influence on their cognitive functions, according to a recent study.

 

The surge in disordered screen use among young individuals is resulting in health issues and diminished attention spans, thereby jeopardizing their long-term mental well-being.

 

Compounding this issue is the growing inclination to integrate technology into educational settings, ostensibly to enhance student engagement. However, teachers observe that these devices, far from being beneficial, serve as distractions in the learning environment.

 

The research, outlined in Science Alert, involved a meta-analysis of 34 prior studies. It scrutinized various forms of screen use, such as gaming, internet browsing, smartphone use, and social media, comparing the cognitive performance of individuals with disordered screen use to those without.

 

The findings are disquieting. Individuals with problematic screen use consistently demonstrated significantly lower cognitive performance than their counterparts. The primary area of cognitive impact was attention, specifically sustained attention—the ability to focus on a constant stimulus for an extended period. The second most notable difference was observed in “executive functioning,” particularly in impulse control, signifying the ability to manage automatic responses or ‘reflexes.’ Importantly, the impact was not confined to children but was observable across diverse age groups.

 

The concern arises from the fact that social media algorithms are designed to capture and divert attention outward, severely affecting the capacity to concentrate. These algorithms, designed to be addictive, make it challenging for individuals to disengage from their screens, often without them realizing when screen use becomes problematic. Attention forms the foundation of everyday tasks, and individuals with weakened attention may struggle in less stimulating environments, such as a static workplace or classroom, potentially leading them to turn to screens as a coping mechanism.