Browsing negative content online can worsen mental health, creating a self-reinforcing feedback loop, according to researchers from University College London (UCL). They also tested a novel browser tool designed to help users make healthier online choices, showing promising results for mood improvement.
Published in Nature Human Behaviour | Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Study Highlights
The UCL team analyzed web-browsing data and emotional health in over 1,000 participants. Using natural language processing to assess the emotional tone of visited webpages, they discovered that individuals with poorer mental health were more likely to browse negatively valenced content. This behavior not only reflected their mood but also worsened it, highlighting a causal and bi-directional relationship.
In experimental settings, participants exposed to negative websites reported a significant decline in mood compared to those browsing neutral content. When later allowed to browse freely, those with a worsened mood chose to revisit more negative content, perpetuating the cycle.
To address this issue, the researchers tested a browser tool called the “Digital Diet” plug-in. This tool labels search results with ratings for emotional impact, practicality, and informativeness, helping users steer toward content that could improve their mood. Participants using the tool were more likely to select positively rated websites and reported feeling better after browsing.
Expert Insights
Professor Tali Sharot, co-lead author, explained: “Browsing negatively valenced content not only mirrors a person’s mood but can also actively worsen it. This creates a feedback loop that can perpetuate mental health challenges over time.”
PhD student Christopher Kelly emphasized the study’s unique focus: “Most research has examined screen time or social media frequency. Our findings instead highlight the importance of content type and its emotional tone.”
These findings underscore the potential for tools like the Digital Diet plug-in to influence healthier digital habits, offering a novel approach to mitigating the impact of negative online content on mental health.
Glossary
- Valence: The emotional value associated with a stimulus, such as whether it is positive, neutral, or negative.
- Natural Language Processing (NLP): A field of artificial intelligence focused on enabling machines to understand, interpret, and generate human language.
- Feedback Loop: A process where the output of a system influences its own input, often creating a cycle of reinforcement.
Interactive Quiz
What is the key finding of this study?
Answer: Negative content online worsens mental health, creating a feedback loop.
How did the researchers measure webpage emotional tone?
Answer: Using natural language processing (NLP).
What is the Digital Diet plug-in?
Answer: A browser tool that labels content based on emotional impact, practicality, and informativeness.
Which journal published this research?
Answer: Nature Human Behaviour.
Enjoy this story? Subscribe to our newsletter at scienceblog.substack.com
