Passive and Lonely Screen Use Creates Most Dissatisfaction

A new Danish study from the University of Copenhagen focuses on what actually lies behind Danes’ dissatisfaction with their screen use – and why the desire to change habits rarely leads to action.

The study, which includes responses from over 9,500 Danes, shows that it is especially passive and lonely use of digital media that creates dissatisfaction. This includes scrolling on social media without interaction, quickly checking status updates, or playing games alone.

“Our results show that it is especially passive and lonely use of digital media that makes us dissatisfied,” says Malene Hornstrup Jespersen, Ph.D. at the research center SODAS.

The study categorizes digital use into three categories: devices, platforms, and activities. It turns out that it is not necessarily what we use the screen for, but how and in what context, that has the greatest impact on our experience.

The smartphone appears as the biggest culprit when it comes to wanting to reduce screen time. According to researchers, this is because the phone is constantly present and used for work, entertainment, and social contact.

“The smartphone is always with us and used for everything. That makes it difficult to cut down, even though we want to,” says Kristoffer Albris, associate professor at SODAS and the Department of Anthropology.

Despite widespread dissatisfaction, only a few take active steps towards change. The most common measures are to turn off notifications or delete apps, while few seek external help or participate in courses on digital detox.

According to Helene Willadsen, the study’s third researcher, it appears that there is a gap between the desire for change and actual action.

The study concludes that there is a need for a more nuanced debate about digital use. Not all screen time is problematic, but many people desire a better balance.

The study is titled “Deconstructing screen time: The connections between digital use, dissatisfaction, and disconnection” and is published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior Reports.