Cause and Consequence of Mindless Social Media Scrolling: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Mindless scrolling, a seemingly harmless universal behavior in the digital age, involves endless browsing through online content with little active engagement, awareness, or any benefit. This phenomenon has become increasingly prevalent due to the rise in and popularity of “short- form” videos across all major social media platforms. There is only a vague awareness of mindless scrolling among the general population, leading to the dismissal of its profound implications on psychological and physical well-being. The objective of this comprehensive review paper is to understand in detail, the underlying psychosocial basis and effect of mindless scrolling from various studies. Findings revealed that features such as personalized curated content based on algorithms, display of continuous similar content, regular push-notifications and updates, and “refresh” and “infinite” scrolling, are specifically designed to capture and retain user attention. The key mechanisms of dopamine-related variable reward system, constant novelty, fear of missing out, along with psychological factors such as boredom, stress, digital escapism, procrastination, reflexive habit and compulsiveness pave the path for the constant flicking. The analysis exposes the multifaceted toll on the user’s brain structure, attention span, memory, productivity, sleep, physical health, mood, self-esteem, in-real-life relationships, life satisfaction and overall well-being, culminating in the emergence and worsening of psychological disorders. These implications warrant the need for developing diagnostic criteria, identifying mindless scrolling as problematic behavior, quantifying healthy screen time and usage, and effective methods for digital detox and mindfulness.