The pursuit of a scientific consensus on the potential harms posed by smartphones and social media use in young people has yielded mixed results, sparking more disagreement than agreement among researchers.
The pursuit of scientific consensus on the potential harms posed by smartphones and social media use in young people has yielded mixed results. An attempt to reach a collective understanding among researchers, spearheaded by Valerio Capraro at the University of Milan-Bicocca, has instead sparked more disagreement.
The Consensus Statement
The researchers analyzed 26 detailed claims about the impact of smartphone use on teenagers’ mental health, drawing from influential books such as ‘The Anxious Generation‘ by ‘The Anxious Generation’ by Jonathan Haidt. Each researcher individually rated whether they agreed with each claim and the strength of evidence supporting them. While there was broad agreement on several critical points, including the decline in adolescent mental health and the correlation between heavy smartphone use and sleep disturbances, the experts also acknowledged that the evidence is only correlational.
Jonathan Haidt is a moral psychologist and professor of ethical leadership at New York University's Stern School of Business.
He is known for his work on the six foundations of morality, which includes care/harm, fairness/cheating, loyalty/betrayal, authority/subversion, sanctity/degradation, and ingroup/outsider.
Haidt's research focuses on the psychological and social factors that shape moral judgments.
He has written several books, including 'The Happiness Hypothesis' and 'The Righteous Mind'.
Limitations and Criticisms
Despite the efforts to gather diverse perspectives, the consensus statement has been criticized for its limitations. Pete Etchells at Bath Spa University noted that only around 120 of the 288 invited experts participated in the process, potentially skewing the outcomes. Sonia Livingstone at the London School of Economics also questioned the selection criteria and the biased set of questions examined.
Sonia Livingstone is a British professor of social psychology at the London School of Economics.
She has made significant contributions to understanding children's online safety, particularly in the context of digital literacy and cyberbullying prevention.
Her work emphasizes the importance of parental involvement in monitoring their child's online activities and promoting critical thinking skills to navigate online risks.
Livingstone has published numerous books and articles on this topic, including 'Children and the Internet' and 'Online Risk and Harm'.
Challenges in Policymaking
The researchers argue that obtaining high-quality causal evidence on the effectiveness of policy decisions can take years, whereas policymakers often have to make decisions in rapidly changing environments with limited data. However, this caveat does not absolve policymakers from taking action, and Capraro’s statement suggests that a lack of concrete evidence should not be used as an excuse for inaction.
The Road Ahead
As the debate on smartphones and their impact on adolescents continues, it is essential to acknowledge the limitations of the current research. Further studies are needed to establish causal links between smartphone use and mental health outcomes. By recognizing both the benefits and drawbacks of technology, policymakers can work towards creating a more balanced approach that addresses the complex issues surrounding teen phone use.
Teenagers spend an average of 4-6 hours per day using their phones, which can lead to mental health concerns such as anxiety, 'depression' , and sleep deprivation.
Excessive phone use can also contribute to social isolation, decreased attention span, and increased risk-taking behavior.
A study by the American Psychological Association found that teens who spent more time on screens were more likely to experience stress, 'anxiety' , and other negative emotions.
- newscientist.com | Attempt to reach expert consensus on teens and phones ends in argument
