Credit: Routledge
Many of us feel that we or our children spend too much time staring at screens. From gaming to social media use or even “doom scrolling,” it can sometimes feel like we're immersed in technology for hours on end without even realizing it.
But according to Catherine Knibbs, a psychotherapist who specializes in cyber trauma and online victimization, there are concrete steps we can all take to take back control from tech companies.
In his new book, Managing Your Gaming and Social Media Habits: From Science to Solutions, which is part of the Ask the Psychology Expert series published in partnership with the British Psychological Society, Knibbs argues that technology in itself is not good or bad – rather it's how it's used and who uses it.
“For some people, social media and gaming can be life-saving,” Knibbs said. “Gaming allows people to connect and combat other feelings in their lives, like loneliness, anxiety and depression.”
For example, Knibbs noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, technology has played a role in enabling people to connect with others when they were unable to interact physically.
“Connections in cyberspace create connections between people. Young people and adults tell me that joining online communities makes them feel understood, seen and surrounded by people who share their interests. This helps them when they feel lonely and in need of support.”
But problems can arise when people spend so much time on technology that they stop paying attention to cues like a full bladder or don't want to engage with the real world, Nibbs explained — ultimately leading to kids missing school and adults not going to work.
The key, she suggests, is to manage your technology use in a way that allows you to reap the benefits of screen time without falling victim to its negative aspects. The first step in this process, according to Knibbs, is understanding the tricks tech companies use to get users hooked on their apps and devices in the first place.
“Tech companies intentionally create products that appeal to our deepest wants and needs in order to draw our attention to their products,” Knibbs says.
These innate needs include the desire for recognition, attention, appreciation, love, and need, Nibbs explains. For example, video games provide users with experience points (XP), prestige status, trophies, skins, and other tangible attributes that indicate how “good” they are.
There's also the fear of being left behind: “We are naturally social, and this gives us a basic need to be cared for by others so that we won't be rejected, abandoned or left to die,” Knibbs says.
“Avoiding rejection and abandonment is at the root of most everything you do every day, especially on social media.”
Technology also taps into our desire for novelty, excitement and reward, Nibbs explains: To grab and keep our attention, apps deliver a constant barrage of prompts, notifications, pushes, nudges and rewards.
So what can we do about this? Knibbs recommends starting by keeping a technology use diary to think critically about the situations in which you use technology and the needs you're trying to fulfill when you reach for your smartphone.
“The first time you notice the urge to open your phone, laptop, computer, games console, etc. on this day of the week, you might notice what you did, where you were, and what time it was,” Knibbs says.
Knibbs explains that the aim is to recognise when technology use is beneficial and meaningful and when it is not, to encourage users to feel more in control and engage with social media in more mindful and meaningful ways. Knibbs encourages people to be aware of the types of things they are looking for online, engaging with, scrolling past and hovering over when they are in the social media space.
Other tips include changing the background color to black and white, removing notifications from the app and home screen, and installing a time blocker that will let you know when you've spent a certain amount of time online.
“When we become addicted to social media or gaming, we disconnect from our bodies and reality and spend hours interacting with media,” Knibs says.
“This is one of the reasons why we get so addicted to scrolling. To avoid this trap, we need to develop the skill of awareness. Practicing mindful meditation can help. With consistent practice, you can shift to being more intentional with your technology when you have the time.”
Further information: Managing Your Gaming and Social Media Habits by Katherine Knibbs, 2024. DOI: 10.4324/9781032617251
Courtesy of Taylor & Francis
Citation: How to take control of screen time and use technology to your advantage (August 26, 2024) Retrieved August 26, 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2024-08-screen-technology.html
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