It’s a combination of a couple of things. There is the very nature of the design of these applications. It’s the slot machine effect: The old way was, you would find something really funny, educational or informative, and the surprise was not knowing when that moment of dopamine or delight would hit you. Then there’s the compulsion for many people to be better informed about the chaotic situation that many of us are currently in as a result of the pandemic, the uncertainty regarding the economic recession, as well as the social justice situation affecting many minorities, women and vulnerable groups in the United States and around the world. Then I think, finally, it’s a very limited act of agency that people still have. You and I can’t go to our favorite restaurants, entertainment venues, gyms; we can’t interact with friends and loved ones because of physical distancing measures. People can’t do a lot of other normal behaviors, so they’re able to exercise their agency in this limited way, even if it’s detrimental to their ability to get a good night’s sleep or reduce their stress.
What can we do to prevent ourselves from endlessly scrolling?
I am a firm believer in using technology. New phones have ways for you to better focus: You can set manual time limits and hours in which you can’t open the apps themselves. I’ve also used apps like the Chrome extension “Stay Focused” a couple of times, where you can set various time limits for checking [social media] on your computer. I also just
— source scientificamerican.com | | By Sophie Bushwick on February 12, 2021