'Brain rot' and digital overload: more myth than threat

In a world where our growing dependence on digital devices and social media is increasingly under attack, the term 'brain rot' – the idea that endless scrolling through low-value content has a negative impact on our mental agility and health – is a common one for many. a confirmation that digital excess is bad for all of us.

Putting aside the fact that this is an internet meme and not a clinical diagnosis, is brain rot something we should take seriously?

Dr. Poppy Watson, adjunct lecturer at UNSW's School of Psychology, says that while the idea warrants research, there is a lack of evidence to show that excessive doomscrolling on social media is responsible for the mental fatigue, lack of focus and reduced cognitive function that are often attributed to “brain rot.”

“This does not rule out the possibility that there are negative effects from overexposure to digital devices and their content, but so far the research does not show that causal link,” she says.

Dr. Watson, whose research examines how environmental cues guide our behavior and decisions and influence our motivation and attention, says that the link between online content consumption and reduced cognitive skills has so far been a correlational one, especially when we look at the cognitive development of younger people. .

“There are other factors that influence your brain health and cognitive control besides social media,” she says.

“We know that things like poverty and socio-economic status – and, as is increasingly clear, poor nutrition – are probably the biggest predictors of brain health and functioning. Access to education has a huge impact on cognitive skills. “

If intense, long-term digital consumption were to dull the minds of young people, then we might expect to see a decline in average IQ scores between pre- and post-digital generations. But like Dr. Watson notes, average IQ scores have risen from the early 20th century into the 21st century, known as the Flynn effect.

Mental health and use of digital devices

Cognition is one side of the brain rot story. The other is mental health, where excessive screen time and consumption of online content are believed to be responsible for emotional dysregulation and declining mood, especially among young people.

Dr. Sophie Li is a research fellow and clinical psychologist at the UNSW-affiliated Black Dog Institute, who has explored the links between digital device use and mental health.

She and her colleagues are conducting the largest Australian longitudinal study of more than 6,000 teens followed over the course of their teenage years, measuring recreational screen time on digital devices and changes in mental health. Dr. Li says the study – which has not yet been published and is currently under review – shows that while longer screen time is linked to lower mental health scores, it is not clear whether longer screen time leads to more depression and anxiety, or whether it the other way around, or a little bit of both.

“We looked at whether or not there was a link between screen time on digital devices and depression and anxiety, but then also looked at whether there was a link between screen time and later depression and anxiety, in an attempt to understand where the anxiety is driving . the relationship,” says Dr. Li.

“We've replicated all previous studies showing that there is definitely a correlation where more screen time is associated with more depression and more anxiety. But when we looked at depression and anxiety 12 months later, we saw either a reduction in the magnitude of the correlation to the point where it's almost negligible or no correlation at all, which doesn't provide much evidence that screen time leads to subsequent reductions in mental health.

Distrust of technology

If it is difficult to find a causal link between extensive use of digital devices and content consumption with a decline in cognition and mental health, then the fears about brain rot and the negative impact of online content may be part of a larger pattern of distrust that people have towards technological changes? throughout history?

The Greek philosopher Socrates was scathing about writing, fearing that it would weaken memory and understanding, and insisted on communicating orally. Later, it was initially feared that the printing press would disrupt the sanctity of oral traditions and handwritten manuscripts, while newspapers were seen as a threat to personal communication and community ties. Radio raised concerns about its impact on social interaction, but was followed by fears that television would make radio obsolete and undermine public debate.

And more recently, the rise of computers, the internet and AI has led to concerns about the disappearance of jobs, the erosion of privacy and the end of social interaction in IRL.

But proponents argue that each new technology has typically found its place, often improving rather than completely replacing existing systems.

Dr. Watson says this could be the case with our consumption of online content, which keeps us tethered to our mobile devices. But she says there is one key difference that raises concerns.

“We're in uncharted territory with online content. Content is now curated to keep you engaged, which means we don't all have access to the same information and we don't all watch the same things on TV. The algorithm is choosing what we see. We all see different versions of ads, we see different things in our news feeds.”

Dr. Li says some academics have labeled the fear of technology a “Sisyphean cycle of technology panic,” and sympathizes with parents of children glued to one screen or another who have never known life without 24/7 communication . She says concerns about digital technology are certainly justified and more needs to be done to ensure online spaces are safe for users.

“We encourage parents to set boundaries around technology use, promote offline activities and in-person social engagement for their children, educate themselves and their children about online risks and responsible digital citizenship, and consult regularly with their child about their use and well-being of technology.”