Sometimes when we are reading a good book, it’s like we are transported into another world and we stop paying attention to what’s around us.
Researchers at the University of Washington wondered if people enter a similar state of dissociation when surfing social media, and if that explains why users might feel out of control after spending so much time on their favorite app.
The team watched how participants interacted with a Twitter-like platform to show that some people are spacing out while they’re scrolling. Researchers also designed intervention strategies that social media platforms could use to help people retain more control over their online experiences.
The group presented the project May 3 at the CHI 2022 conference in New Orleans.
“I think people experience a lot of shame around social media use,” said lead author Amanda Baughan, a UW doctoral student in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science &
— source washington.edu | Sarah McQuate | May 23, 2022