Well Being and Screen Time

new technology provokes…

broad, non-specific predictions

technological determinism

idea that technology changes human psychology, behavior, and society

appeal of technological determinism

offers some clean cause to explain events

the problem with correlation is that…

• it can be random

• there are multiple causes

• A can cause B and B can cause A

correlation is useful because…

it prompts further investigation

hypothesis

testable prediction grounded in explanation/theory that can be validated/questioned/altered by testing the hypothesis

a good hypothesis has…

• “because…will…”

• specific measurable variables

screen time

anount of time spent looking at a screen in a given period, measured in minutes or hours

engagement

amount of time/number of actions taken on a platform, measured in clicks or seconds

well-being

reflects three elements

• positive emotions

• effective functioning

• sense of life satisfaction

displacement theory

explanation for loss of well-being

• healthy activity —> new activity displaced old activity —> healthy benefit of old activity was lost

more displacement results in…

worse well-being

problems with displacement theory of screen time

screen time integrates into life rather than displaces it

full-cycle research

develop theory —> quantitative —> refine theory —> qualitative —> develop theory

Goldilocks hypothesis

• too little tech use deprives people of important social information/peer pursuits

• too much tech use displaces other meaningful activities