Current Research 

Does Social Media Cause Poor Mental Health in Youth?

The mental health of adolescents in the United States has seen a steep decline since 2011, roughly coinciding with the increasing popularity of social media and smartphones. But does social media have a causal impact on the mental health of adolescents or are concerns about the effect of social media on kids a form of public hysteria? In this study, we will conduct the first field experiment in 10–14-year-olds to examine whether, how, and for whom social media harms mental health. The project will generate a massive amount of data, including text data, that we will be making available to researchers. This project is sponsored through a generous R01 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). We are currently recruiting participants. Learn more HERE.

How does Social Media legislation impact adolescent well-being?

As social media becomes increasingly prevalent throughout society, focus is beginning to be placed on its potential negative effects, particularly for adolescents. To that end, lawmakers around the world are passing a variety of forms of legislation that will regulate youth access to social media. However, considerable uncertainty remains about these laws' real-world impact.

Two key concerns drive this uncertainty. First, it is difficult to predict how effective these laws will be given the limited causal evidence about social media's effects on adolescent mental health. Further, laws could unintentionally restrict access to vital online resources and communities, hinder digital skill development, or drive users to migrate to less regulated and potentially more harmful platforms.

Our lab wants to learn how effective new laws are in their aim of improving adolescent well-being and to capture potential unintended consequences. We are studying three different pieces of social media legislation to answer these questions: (1) Australia’s Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024; (2) Nebraska’s Age-Appropriate Online Design Code Act; and (3) Virginia’s Consumer Data Protection Act. Our goal is for our findings to impact future policy-making decisions. See more HERE.

Does Digital detox work?

Smartphone overuse is often linked to poor sleep, reduced focus, and worse mental health. A popular solution is the “digital detox”—brief breaks from device use—but do these actually work? Despite the hype, there is little scientific evidence on whether short, sustainable digital detox habits can meaningfully improve well-being. We study both everyday interventions, like short “digital detoxes” before bed, and more radical changes, such as blocking mobile internet access. Findings show a paradox: while it is difficult for people to sustain digital detox habits, reducing constant connectivity—even temporarily—can improve mood, attention, and mental health for many users. Read our latest research on this topic HERE and HERE.

Does ChatGPT Increase or Hamper Human Creativity?

As generative AI systems, particularly Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT-4, become more prevalent in creative processes, they present a paradox: while these systems can enhance individual creativity, their widespread use poses a risk of reducing the diversity of creative outputs across groups of people—and humanity as a whole. We are currently exploring this paradox of the AI-driven homogenizing effect on creative content. A key contribution of our research is the development of the diversity growth rate, a novel metric that provides a dynamic and quantifiable perspective on how AI-generated content influences collective creativity.

Why Do People Use Their Smartphones More Than They Should?

Smartphone use has been shown to have negative effects on people's sleep, social interactions, mental health, and ability to focus. These negative impacts are frequently discussed in the media. However, despite widespread coverage, there appears to be little change in how individuals use their smartphones. This discrepancy raises important questions about the factors influencing smartphone usage patterns. We are currently investigating whether this persistent behavior stems from a lack of awareness of the negative effects, an underestimation of personal impact, or insufficient knowledge of available resources to manage smartphone use. By examining these potential explanations, we hope to gain insights into more effective strategies for promoting healthier digital habits.