Why do kids struggle to look up from devices? The answer is persuasive design.
Dr. Meghan Owenz and I have written a letter to the American Psychological Association (APA) that has brought national attention to the issue of persuasive design, which is the use of behavioral psychology to pull users onto devices and keep them there for as long as possible. The letter, organized by the Children’s Screen Time Action Network, raises concerns that psychologists–who are ethically bound to do no harm–are using their power to manipulate behavior to pull kids onto video games, social media, and smartphones. This contributes to children overusing screens and phones for entertainment (the average teen now spends 6 hours, 40 minutes with playtime screens each day) and this is putting kids’ emotional health and academic success at risk. Over 200 psychologists–including leaders in the field such as Drs. Jean Twenge, Sherry Turkle, and Mary Pipher–have signed the letter.
We are now asking you to join the effort calling on the APA to protect children from harmful persuasive design practices. Dr. Owenz (founder of Screen-free Parenting) and I have just written this Psychology Today article asking for parents, educators, health care providers, and concerned citizens to add their voice calling on the APA to address persuasive design. At the end of the article, you will see a link to quickly add your voice to this important cause. By working together, we will encourage the profession of psychology to be a powerful force that advances, not detracts from, children’s health and well-being.
A big thank you to Dr. Victoria Dunckley, author of the book Reset Your Child’s Brain, for hosting the article on Psychology Today.