A piece by Derrick Ardiles

Parents used to tell their kids not to watch the TV for too long or their eyes would turn into squares. Nowadays students spend more than four hours on their phones everyday on average (Kulahlioglu, 2021). A 2019 study investigated the technology use of children between the ages of eight to twelve and found that the overconsumption of online media may be changing out cognition in negative ways such as reduced attention control, psychological well being, sleep, and worse academic performance (Firth et al. 119). We are in a digital age where short form media dominates our screens as social media companies have found the most effective marketing strategy to be low cognitive load, snack size content which sucks you down the rabbit hole of endless scrolling so that you consume larger forms of media. First it was Vine, then it was TikTok, and now it seems all the other major social media companies have hopped on the train. With algorithms designed to grab your attention quickly with content which is emotionally provoking, and the culture of binge watching these short form media bites, qualities such as the ability to take on excessive and challenging information dense tasks seems to be decreasing. A 2021 study by Barton et al. which collected and analyzed university students survey information found a negative correlation between high social media usage and academic performance. The study went on to further suggest strengthening attention and motivation in order to improve GPA. Unfortunately, at the moment we just do not have long term conclusive studies on whether short form media is shortening our attention span and if that would even be a bad thing. I think it is important to consider that in the context of education this tendency to consume short form media might open new avenues for educational engagement.

From YouTube shorts to Instagram reels short form media seems to be the dominant emerging form of media and is reshaping how we consume and process information. With quick hit content excelling and captivating users, many worry about the effects of prolonged screen time and the potential cognitive consequences we may not yet be aware of. While this issue is widespread and multifaceted, general knowledge of how this issue affects younger populations may be useful for students in British Columbia to take steps to reduce the potential negative effects as well as for educators in BC to understand what challenges their students are facing and to potentially tailor their teaching methods to the changing student demographic. By analyzing the latest research and going over real-world examples this article aims to provide a new and open-minded perspective on the effect of this form of media has on the younger student population in BC. It is the hope that educators and students may leverage this information about the evolving digital terrain and shape their approach to education in a fitting manner.

A 2021 article in the magazine Psychology Today explored the relationship between social media and the well being of adolescents and found that social media offers opportunities for connections, self expression and exposure to new ideas but it also presents challenges such as anxiety and pressure to conform (Delahooke). Overall the article concluded that fostering an environment of open dialog in regards to promoting digital awareness may empower youths to navigate social media in healthy and constructive ways (Delahooke).

The problems:

Not only are phone screens affecting our mental cognition, but also our physical well being. A recent study which investigated the impact of increased screen exposure during the COVID-19 era on students from grade one to twelve specifically in relation to computer vision syndrome and found a correlation between increased screen time and headaches, dry eyes, and eye strain (Chaturvedi et al., 2022). Additionally, the researchers found that the concentration span displayed by students in online classes positively correlated with the amount of physical activity of the student (Chaturvedi et al., 2022). With the age that children are given screens becoming younger and younger the effects of this much screen time on the younger generation of students in Canada is not known. A CBC article makes some alarming statements which drive this point home such as “by 2050, 50 percent of people will have myopia” and attributes this statistic to the result of staring at screens changing the structure our eyeballs.

Even more concerning however is the effect digital devices have on our sleep. A 2015 study provides a comprehensive overview of this issue and notes that research indicates that adolescents are getting less sleep than previous generations with 58 percent of youths in the US sleeping less than 7 hours nightly when the ideal range would be between 8.5 and 10 hours of sleep (George & Odgers, 2015). The same study states that many adolescents use their phones late at night and the ease of access to emotionally arousing media content have been linked to worsened sleep time. The authors also mention that experimental studies have suggested that exposure to light emitting devices before sleep can delay melatonin secretion which leads to reduced sleep quality and duration (George & Odgers, 2015). So, it is clear that media time, especially before bed, has been shown to displace sleep time for many adolescents which raises the question of how this is affecting younger generations of students ability to concentrate in school.

Another issue that many are concerned about relating to how media is affecting our critical thinking skills is how constant multitasking on mobile devices may be worsening cognitive performance. With adolescents constantly multitasking with digital technologies such as texting with friends while doing homework at school, it is no wonder that many Canadian schools are implementing cell phone bans. A recent CBC article sheds light on the issue stating that schools don’t just teach content but rather healthy habits of mind such as the “ability to think deeply, focus for long periods of time and listen empathetically to others” and claims that when students are constantly distracted by their cellphones it hinders their ability to learn these skills (“Ontario makes permanent ban,” 2022). Research in the form of experimental studies on adults back up these claims as findings have consistently confirmed that multitasking is extremely disruptive to immediate cognitive performance and leads to increased error rates as well as longer task completion times (Altmann, Trafton, & Hambrick, 2014). University students who are heavy users of digital media tend to exhibit more academic impairments such as lower grades, less study time, and more missed classes (George & Odgers, 2015). University students report that they believe frequent multitasking with their phones while doing schoolwork have a negative affect on their ability to study, confirming what research has found (George & Odgers, 2015). This blurring of boundaries between personal leisure time on social media and educational time is resulting in the normalization of distraction and instant gratification, thereby making it increasingly difficult for students to focus on complex tasks due to the reduced attention span which has been trained into them.

In many ways the pathological use of social media is an addiction and the reason so many are addicted is because it is designed to be addicting. An article published in The Guardian which leverages the advice of an addiction expert elegantly summarizes the issue which it attributes to the rising global depression rates: “We’ve forgotten how to be alone with out thoughts. We’re forever interrupting ourselves for a quick digital hit” (Pang,2021). The author compares the dopamine highs we get from our phones to drug addition and although this may be an exaggeration it is still a real issue Canadians as a whole are facing today. Finally, the article concludes that in order to break this bad habit users should first endure a period of abstinence from their phones, arguing that it is easier to go from abstinence to moderation than from excessive consumption to moderation (Pang,2021).

Unfortunately, the full extent of long term health implications of social media addiction are not fully understood so for that reason there is a need for more longitudinal studies on the topic. It is clear however, in the current research that there are significant negative correlations between over consumption of media and social and emotional distress. A recent 2023 publication addresses how this issue affects generation z(the cohort of people born between the mid 1990s and early 2010s) who are the main group of individuals this paper is focusing on as they are the group of students who are currently undergoing this issue (Treviño Benavides, 2023). The book ascertains that social media addiction is associated with depression, insomnia, anxiety and low life satisfaction, low energy levels and decreased academic performance especially among those with previously underlying mental health conditions (Treviño Benavides, 2023). The study also makes use of a “psychometrically validated Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale” which is used to asses an individuals risk of suffering from social media addiction based on six criteria (Treviño Benavides, 2023).

The solutions:

So far, we have established the many dangers of social media addiction, why it is so addicting and how it likely has disastrous effects on the younger generation’s academic performance, the question now is what can be done by students and educators to combat this phenomenon. Some suggestions may be to for students to set screen time limits on their phones through either built in device features or by downloading an app to assist. Ultimately educational institutions and media companies themselves should be encouraging mindful technology use in the form of taking regular breaks and setting daily limits however it is up to users to moderate their own consumption. Another way educational institutions could help foster mindful technology use is through establishing supportive school policies or events that promote time away from screens such as open from discussions on social media consumption.

There is still much we do not understand of how digital media is affecting our brains. Some suggest that high exposure to multitasking through digital media from a young age could require the brain in a sense to be better adapted if not optimized for functioning in a highly dynamic digital world (George & Odgers, 2015). Educators could also draw inspiration from the short form media content which their students find so engaging and tailor their educational content to be more engaging for students. Currently we have the correct tools to evaluate, track and measure how technology is influencing adolescents, but we have yet to gain any conclusive research. As such this paper calls for further longitudinal studies on the matter to deepen our understanding. There is also a need for more smart phone functionalities which promote healthier behaviors among users.

Conclusion:

In the current digital era, the influence of short form media and excessive screen time poses a significant threat to the well being and consequently the academic performance of emerging younger generations of students in BC and the rest of Canada. Research has shown that the range of negative consequences include but are not limited to diminished attention span/control, psychological distress and disrupted sleep patterns which all contribute to decreased academic achievement. Individuals with underlying mental disorders are particularly susceptible to the consequences of social media addiction. Social media platforms are continually decreasing the length of each media snippet and the emotional provocativeness of them in order to gain users attention over longer periods of time which serves to further entice the user due to the addictive nature of the content. This type of short form media further exacerbates the issues outlined above by fostering a culture of continuous distraction and instant gratification.

To address these concerns, a joint effort between students, educators, smart phone companies and the media companies themselves needs to be made. However, the choice of over consumption is ultimately up to the user who should take responsibility for their own action and have the self awareness to realize when they are engaging in damaging habits. One way to begin is through a compete detox for a short period of time and then a return with moderation in mind as a guiding principle.

In conclusion, addressing the challenges posed by social media addiction is a difficult task which requires an individual to take action for themselves but also the support of their educational institution by fostering digital awareness and mindful technology use.  

Works Cited:

  • Kulahlioglu, Camila. “Social Media’s Influence on Our Attention Spans.” The Science Survey, 23 Apr. 2021, thesciencesurvey.com/editorial/2021/04/23/social-medias-influence-on-our-attention-spans/.
  • Firth J, Torous J, Stubbs B, Firth JA, Steiner GZ, Smith L, Alvarez-Jimenez M, Gleeson J, Vancampfort D, Armitage CJ, Sarris J. The “online brain”: how the Internet may be changing our cognition. World Psychiatry. 2019 Jun;18(2):119-129. doi: 10.1002/wps.20617. PMID: 31059635; PMCID: PMC6502424.
  • Barton, B. A., Adams, K. S., Browne, B. L., & Arrastia-Chisholm, M. C. (2021). The effects of social media usage on attention, motivation, and academic performance. Active Learning in Higher Education, 22(1), 11–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787418782817
  • Delahooke, Mona Ph.D. “The Pros and Cons of Social Media for Youth.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, LLC, 29 Oct. 2021, https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/evidence-based-living/202110/the-pros-and-cons-social-media-youth.
  • Nandita Chaturvedi, Pooja Singh, & Malobika Bhattacharya. (2022). Screen exposure time and computer vision syndrome in school-age children during COVID-19 era: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Clinical Ophthalmology and Research, 10(3), 105–109. https://doi.org/10.4103/jcor.jcor_157_21
  • CBC News. “Excessive screen use harming Canadians’ eyes, vision experts say.” CBC News, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, 12 Feb. 2022, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/excessive-screen-use-eyes-myopia-1.6815857.
  • George, M. J., & Odgers, C. L. (2015). Seven Fears and the Science of How Mobile Technologies May Be Influencing Adolescents in the Digital Age. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(6), 832–851. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691615596788
  • CBC News. (2022, February 11). Ontario makes permanent ban on cellphones in classrooms. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canadian-schools-cell-phone-bans-1.6869993