Screen Time is a common measure of media use but the research has problems: no common definitions and no reliable measures. Mindful media use puts the emphasis on individual goals and emotions to create a healthy media plan for adults and kids.

1. Throw Out Everything You
Know about Screen Time
Pamela Rutledge, PhD MBA
Director, Media Psychology Research Center
pamelarutledge@gmail.com
www.pamelarutledge.com

2. Agenda
q What is Screen Time?
q Definitions & Research
q Looking at Digital Behaviors
q Media consumption
q Screen Addiction
q Doomscrolling
q Zoom Fatigue
q Managing Your Digital Life
q What helps, what hurts?
q Q&A

3. Screen Time Problems & Definitions

4. 3 Screen Time Fallacies
1. Screen Time is a “thing”
q No two researchers agree on a definition, which
means no two studies are measuring the same thing.
2. Screen Time is measurable
q Difficult to measure; most studies are self-report
3. Screen Time Causes problems
q Little evidence that Screen Time causes problems.
q Studies are correlational not causal

5. Associations, Context & Missing Factors
q Most Screen Time research is correlational
q Describes co-occurrence or association
q Does not consider other factors:
q Content
q Device
q Purpose
q Age
q Culture
q Cognitive Development
q Social or Physical Environment
q Screen Time vs. availability of parks and playgrounds on outdoor play?

6. Ice Cream Consumption & Drowning

7. Significant vs. Material
q Statistically significant is not the same as materially
significant
q Digital Screen Time accounted for less than 1.9% of
observed variability of sleep outcomes
q Digital Screen Time accounted for less than .25% of
happiness measures

8. Why Does This Matter?

9. What Happens with Misinformation?
q Bad advice
q American Academy of Pediatrics 2x2 rules
q Exploitation of Fear & Anxiety
q “Cures” for what scares you: screen addiction, digital
detox and digital wellbeing
q Inadequate & Pointless Regulation
q Disconnect between generations

10. If It Feels Right, We Believe It

11. Tendency to Believe
q Instinct – Primal Response to confirm world view
q Avoid discomfort, uncertainty & threats
q Confirmation Bias
q Overlook information that conflicts with beliefs
q Digital Dualism or Real Life vs. Online
q Whatever we grew up with is normal and right
q Anything else is suspect & dangerous
q The Authority Bias & Illusory Truth Effect
q Conformity to authority & frequency

12. Why Do We Believe it?
So What Do We Do?

13. Mindful Media Use

14. Healthy Media Use Starts with Paying Attention
q Goals
q Why am I doing this? What
do I want to accomplish?
q Self-Awareness
q Keep a media journal
q Emotions
q Check in with yourself: how
do I feel?

15. 3 C’s for Healthy Media Use
q Compassion
q COVID increases media consumption- that’s OK
q Focus on psychological benefits: mood, connection,
employment, entertainment, play
q Curiosity
q Everyone has different tastes in media.
q Listen, learn and share
q Choice
q The remote belongs to you
q Give yourself permission to set boundaries

16. Your Brain is Wired to Doomscroll
q Doomscrolling: continuous scrolling
through bad news cycle
q Natural response to anxiety &
uncertainty
q Lack of answers & misinformation
increases information-seeking
q Mean World Syndrome
q Worse during COVID
q Solution: Self-regulation and self-talk

17. Zoom Fatigue
q Violates social norms
q Distorts non-verbal cues
q Lags and overlaps
q Continued eye gaze
q Disrupts organizational
hierarchies
q Burden of scheduling/timing
q Increased self-awareness
q Managing technical delays
q Solution: Recognize limits, take
breaks, turn off your camera

18. Parents: Be Flexible & Seek Balance
q Avoid all or nothing thinking: There is
NO right age, right use, right time
q Encourage critical thinking &
autonomy
q Technology use has potential benefits
and risks – accept trade-offs
q Model good behaviors
q Keep lines of communications open
q Teens need socialization for healthy
identity development. This is NOT
addiction
q Parent with compassion, an open-
mind & headphones

19. Summary
q Balance
q Don’t focus on “Screen Time”
q What you do is more important than how long
q Use emotions & goals to judge your use
q When in doubt, keep track
q Follow the 3 C’s
q Compassion
q Curiosity
q Choice

20. Thank You
Dr. Pamela Rutledge
Media Psychology Research Center