Latest news with #NeuroImage
Forbes
2 days ago
- Health
- Forbes
2 Ways ‘Short-Video Addiction' Changes Your Brain, By A Psychologist
Your endless scroll may be costing you more than just your time. New research shows it's changing ... More the way you think and make decisions. These days, almost everything is available in the form of quick and bite-sized content — from recipes and skincare tips to news updates. You may find yourself swiping through reels, tapping through stories or scrolling endless feeds, often without even realizing where your time really went. This is true for so many of us, because this is how content is designed now: fast and impossible to look away from. In fact, you've likely noticed how content has only gotten shorter, snappier and more addictive. Suddenly, almost every industry is trying to capitalize on this growing addiction to quick content. Now, it's all about grabbing your attention within the first three seconds or losing it entirely. You can even find content on 'hook' templates or trend cycles that rise and fall in a matter of days. In 2024, 'brain rot' was named the Word of the Year by Oxford University Press. This term was popularized by Gen Z to describe the mental fog and cognitive decline linked to endless scrolling. Experts have now warned that this habit, which we often dismiss as 'just watching videos,' is actually changing how our brains work. They are dulling our focus, weakening memory and even disrupting decision-making. This is backed by new research published in NeuroImage. Researchers conducted a study that examined the psychological and neurological effects of short-video addiction. They used a combination of behavioral analysis, brain imaging and computational models of decision-making. The study looked at how excessive engagement with short videos might influence the way our brains process rewards, risks and choices. Based on this research, here are two ways short-video addiction changes your brain. 1. It Reduces Your Sensitivity To Real Consequences One way being addicted to short video consumption impacts you is by hurting your 'loss aversion.' This is the tendency to feel the pain of losing something more strongly than the pleasure of gaining something of equal value. In decision-making, this comparison acts like a protective filter that helps you avoid risks. It makes you think twice before making choices that could lead to negative outcomes. However, in case the sensitivity to loss is reduced, you're more likely to make impulsive or risky decisions without fully considering the consequences. In the NeuroImage study, researchers found that individuals with higher short-video addiction (SVA) symptoms were more likely to experience lower loss aversion. Put simply, the more addicted someone was to short videos, the less sensitive they were to potential losses. This impacted their decision-making, which became more reward-driven, even when risks were high. Brain scans from the study revealed that people with higher short-video addiction had lower activity in a part of the brain called the 'precuneus' when thinking about potential gains. The precuneus helps you reflect and consider outcomes by thinking things through. The brain may not fully process what's at stake when the precuneus is less active. This holds true especially when something is exciting to gain. This, in turn, makes it easier to overlook the risks. Essentially, if loss stops feeling like a big deal, your decision-making becomes skewed. So, the next time you're deep into a scroll, ask yourself: Are you really willing to train your brain to chase rewards at the cost of good judgment? 2. It Slows Down How You Process Information Another commonly experienced consequence of doomscrolling or short video addiction is a growing sense of mental fog, difficulty focusing or struggling to make even small decisions without overthinking. Researchers of NeuroImage study the found that short-video addiction can quite literally slow down how your brain processes information. The researchers used a cognitive model called the Drift Diffusion Model (DDM) to measure participants' 'drift rate,' which refers to the speed at which your brain gathers and processes evidence before making a decision. A higher drift rate causes you to make faster and more confident choices. A lower drift rate, on the other hand, causes you to have slower thinking and use more mental effort to arrive at even simple conclusions. The researchers found that individuals with higher short-video addiction symptoms had a significantly lower drift rate, meaning their brains accumulated evidence more slowly and made decision-making harder and less efficient. This was once again reflected in the activity observed in the precuneus, as it's also involved in mental focus, reflection and evaluation of options. The brain processes information slower when this area is less active. Even simple choices can feel more mentally draining. If you've been feeling mentally foggy, overwhelmed by everyday decisions or find it hard to focus for more than a few minutes, remember that it might not just be a lack of willpower. It could be your brain adapting to the speed of the content you consume. This might be your sign to give your mind the space it needs to exist without constant stimulation. Reclaiming The Beauty Of Doing Nothing In chasing constant engagement, you may not realize that sometimes being bored is not all that bad. In fact, 'meaningless time' is actually beneficial and sometimes even necessary. When you're bored, your mind finally has the chance to wander and to explore ideas that don't surface in the usual flood of distractions. This can help boost creativity, improve problem-solving and support deeper thinking. In quiet and unfilled spaces, you get to hear yourself the loudest. While you don't have to stop watching content altogether, you can learn how to intentionally engage with it. Consciously thinking about what you watch and why you're watching it helps you use content as a tool that doesn't entirely consume you. Before you open an app for a 'hit,' it could be helpful to ask yourself, 'What's my reason for wanting to use the app right now?' Reflect on whether you're seeking entertainment, inspiration, connection or just avoiding stillness. At the same time, begin to appreciate moments of meaningless time. Make a habit of letting yourself be intentionally bored. Find ways to be away from the screen; say, take a walk without your phone, stare out the window or just sit in silence. While these moments may seem empty, they let your mind reset, reflect and reclaim its natural rhythm. Worried that you may have a penchant for doomscrolling? Take this science-backed test to find out: Doomscrolling Scale
NDTV
5 days ago
- Health
- NDTV
TikTok, Instagram Reels, And Shorts May Be Rewiring Your Brain, Study Warns
A new brain imaging study has found that people addicted to short-form video platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts may be less sensitive to financial losses and more prone to impulsive decisions. Published in the journal NeuroImage, the research shows that such behavioural changes are linked to specific patterns of brain activity, particularly in regions responsible for evaluating rewards and guiding actions. The study draws parallels between short-form video addiction and other addictive behaviours like gambling and substance abuse. In both cases, individuals tend to prioritise immediate rewards over long-term consequences. The research warns that constant exposure to endless scrolling and personalised content on these platforms may alter brain function by encouraging instant gratification and repeated use. This may lead to a reduced ability to weigh risks and make sound decisions, especially when it comes to money. "Short-form video addiction is a global public health threat-with users in China spending 151 minutes daily on average, and 95.5% of internet users engaged. This high-intensity 'instant reward' consumption not only impairs attention, sleep, and mental health but also increases depression risk," said study author Qiang Wang, a professor of psychology at Tianjin Normal University. "While substance addictions (e.g., gambling, alcohol) consistently show reduced sensitivity to losses, how short-form video addiction alters the brain's evaluation of 'risk vs. loss' was virtually unexplored. Thus, we pioneered an integration of computational modeling (DDM) and neuroimaging (fMRI) to uncover: 1). Whether addicts undervalue long-term costs of usage (e.g., time loss, health risks); 2). How neural evidence accumulation speed and motor-sensory networks drive such decision biases." Specifically, the research team wanted to understand whether individuals who report more symptoms of short-form video addiction also show reduced "loss aversion"-a psychological tendency to give greater weight to losses than to equivalent gains. Loss aversion is generally considered a protective feature of decision-making, as it helps people avoid risky behavior. Previous studies have found that people with gambling disorder, alcohol dependence, and certain drug addictions show reduced loss aversion, but little was known about how this pattern might emerge in non-substance behavioral addictions, like compulsive short-video use.
