Generation-Z is a time period loosely defined as starting during the later half of the 1990s, around 1996 or 1997, and ending in the early 2010s, around 2012. Individuals who came into the world during this time period were born into a unique situation. The earlier members of the generation were born at the turn of the century, with the Y2K scare and 9/11 occurring that time, while the later half were born into a period of rapid technological development. To put the technological development during this period into perspective, at the beginning of this time period, in December of 1997, the Nokia 6110 phone was introduced (1), while towards the end of this period, in 2009, 4G was being introduced (2). People born the same year as the Nokia 6110’s introduction (1), share a generation with those who were born the year the first iPod was released in 2001 (3), those who were born the same year the first iPhone was announced in 2007 (4), and those who were born the same year as 4G’s introduction in 2009 (2). Suffice to say, it’s not hard to argue that people born in this generation grew up during a period of technological development, on a scale unlike anything seen before.
While advancements in technology has brought forth many improvements in communication, safety, information-transmission, entertainment and accessibility, there is a downside; children had access to this technology before any downsides were fully established. Children born during this generation were the first to grow up with smart phones and social media, growing alongside technology, as well as studies on the negative impacts it can have. Nowadays, researchers have established negative effects that may result from social media and cellphone use including anxiety that results an individual’s separation from their phone (5); negative impacts on self-view and social relationships via cyberbullying and social comparison (6); the normalization of self-harm and suicide (6); a correlation between high amounts of cell phone usage and eye strain, neck pain, back pain, weight gain, depression, loneliness, and mood disorders (7); and a negative impact on sleep (8). That’s not even mentioning the privacy risks or addictive aspect to internet usage, with studies showing a significant positive correlation between internet addiction test scores and plasma dopamine levels (9); dopamine being a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of pleasure and satisfaction, playing a vital part in the reward system in our brains. Addictive drugs are also known to cause increases in dopamine release, providing further proof of the addictive properties the internet is said to have (9).
During and following the COVID-19 pandemic that took over the world in 2019, researchers sought to examine the impacts the virus had on physical and neurological functioning, but also how the lockdown that took place during the pandemic affected learning, socialization, and technology use. It is well-known that the pandemic had negative impacts on mental health, with feelings of isolation, anxiety and despair being common in those who were forced to lockdown, all-of-which could’ve been exacerbated by the requirement of technology for work, schooling, and socialization. One trend that became very prominent at this time is referred to as “doomscrolling”, which is essentially the act of compulsively scrolling through social media and newsfeeds relating to bad news. This trend was so popular, it was named one of Oxford English Dictionary’s words of the year in 2020 (10). With the negative impacts being clearly researched and established, many researchers have attempted to discover ways to manage the negative impacts of internet use and social media. One study I found discusses a concept for managing the negative impacts that technology use can have; digital wellbeing.
In the article, Privacy Literacy: From Doomscrolling to Digital Wellness, authored by Chisholm & Hartman-Caverly and published in 2022, digital wellbeing is defined as “a subjective individual experience of optimal balance between the benefits and drawbacks obtained from mobile connectivity” (10). Essentially, digital wellbeing is the balance between the positive and negative impacts of internet use. In order to discover this “sweet spot”, individuals need to display controlled pleasure in relation to their internet use, as well as having functional support, while avoiding a loss of control and functional impairment as related to their cell phone use. To discover this balance, researchers suggest individuals look at the issue from a dynamic systems approach, which is essentially viewing a problem through the various systems and factor that play into it. This includes the interaction of several factors, including person-specific, device-specific, and context-specific factors. Person-specific factors include personality traits, such as impulsivity and mood, device-specific factors involve system design choices and notification system nudges, both of which influence user behavior, usage, and attitudes, and finally, context-specific factors include the impact usage has on social roles, such as how connectivity forces individuals to always balance their time using their phones with the time they spend nurturing relationships (10). The article didn’t provide much on intervention and its efficacy, but was more of a set-up for future interventions. It appears that researchers are still researching how to mitigate negative effects in a generalizable way. Much of the research surrounding social media and technology use focuses on limiting technology, but much research still needs to be done on how mitigate the negative impacts of social media and technology use, something that is vital, given technology and social media is unavoidable in today’s society. It isn’t possible to just turn off or stop the usage of technology anymore, and research needs to reflect that, though it doesn’t come quickly.
Sources:
- Nokia – 6110. Nokia – 6110 | Mobile Phone Museum. https://www.mobilephonemuseum.com/phone-detail/nokia-6110
- Paavola, A. (2022, December 19). Smartphone History: A Complete Timeline. Textline. https://www.textline.com/blog/smartphone-history#:~:text=It’s%20hard%20to%20think%20of,worth%20up%20to%20$152%20billion
- The Music Lives On. Apple Newsroom. (2022, May 10). https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/05/the-music-lives-on/
- Apple reinvents the phone with iPhone. Apple Newsroom. (2007, January 9). https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2007/01/09Apple-Reinvents-the-Phone-with-iPhone/
- Gui, D. Y., Dai, Y., Zheng, Z., & Liu, S. (2023). Losing control without your smartphone: Anxiety affects the dynamic choice process of impulsive decision-making and purchase. Frontiers in neuroscience, 17, 998017. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2023.998017
- Abi-Jaoude, E., Naylor, K. T., & Pignatiello, A. (2020). Smartphones, social media use and youth mental health. CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l’Association medicale canadienne, 192(6), E136–E141. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.190434
- Daniyal, M., Javaid, S. F., Hassan, A., & Khan, M. A. B. (2022). The Relationship between Cellphone Usage on the Physical and Mental Wellbeing of University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(15), 9352. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159352
- Rafique, N., Al-Asoom, L. I., Alsunni, A. A., Saudagar, F. N., Almulhim, L., & Alkaltham, G. (2020). Effects of Mobile Use on Subjective Sleep Quality. Nature and science of sleep, 12, 357–364. https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S253375
- Liu, M., & Luo, J. (2015). Relationship between peripheral blood dopamine level and internet addiction disorder in adolescents: a pilot study. International journal of clinical and experimental medicine, 8(6), 9943–9948.
- Chisholm, A., & Hartman-Caverly, S. (2022). Privacy Literacy: From Doomscrolling to Digital Wellness. Portal : Libraries and the Academy, 22(1), 53-79. https://ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/privacy-literacy-doomscrolling-digital-wellness/docview/2769365460/se-2
Hi!
Great post! I agree that Generation Z faces unique challenges with technology, as they were introduced to smartphones and social media early, often without guidance on potential drawbacks. One additional angle to consider is self-determination theory (SDT), which suggests that people feel better when they experience autonomy, competence, and connection. If technology promotes thoughtful use and real interactions rather than superficial comparisons, digital wellness could be enhanced. Tools that allow users to monitor their screen time, for instance, can help them feel more in control, fulfilling their need for autonomy (Deci & Ryan, 1985). Also, your point on “doomscrolling” is really interesting. It is something that I struggle with everyday, the “doomscrolling” aspect of social media. It made me look into the scientific background of “doomscrolling”, similarly like you mentioned there is an addictive component. Research shows that the immediate rewards of notifications can activate addiction-like pathways in the brain, similar to substances (Montag et al., 2019). Thoughtful design, like reducing notification frequency, might help lessen these effects. After reading your blog post and exploring the ideas you mentioned, I feel inspired to take a closer look at my own digital habits and find ways to improve my digital wellbeing.
Thanks!
References:
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. Springer.
Montag, C., et al. (2019). Addictive features of social media platforms. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 16(14), 2612.