Two researchers from the University of Macau concluded that short-form videos used on social media and viewed in “scrolling” (Screen scrolling) on cell phones negatively impacts children’s cognitive development, which can cause social anxiety and insecurity.
“The compulsive consumption of short videos has a negative impact on cognitive development, which can cause lack of concentration, social anxiety and insecurity”, he explained in statements to Lusa Wang Wei, academic in the field of Educational Psychology at the University of Macau (UM), author of the study Short Video Addiction, School Engagement, and Social Inclusion Among Chinese Rural Students.
“This concept of short videos can be particularly dangerous for children”, warned the researcher.
“Our research indicates a direct correlation: the more students consume short videos, the less they engage with school.”
Wang argues that although children’s fundamental psychological needs must be met offline – that is, outside of social networks – short video platforms, with personalized algorithms and social interaction functionalities, directly and subtly satisfy these same needs.
This parallel satisfaction, Wang’s research suggests, “potentially leads to overuse and addiction.”
“The stimulating and fast-paced nature of short videos makes them highly entertaining for students,” the researcher added.
Anise Wu Man Sze, professor of Psychology at the Faculty of Social Sciences at UM and author of the study The relationship between affective and cognitive components in the problematic use of short videosadds to Wang’s conclusions the issues related to overstimulation of children, which further harms healthy cognitive development.
The short videos capture everyone’s attention precisely because “they are right there at hand and they are free”, highlights Wu, speaking to Lusa.
People can access large amounts of short videos “anytime, anywhere.”
These addictive behaviors often originate from a “functional purpose,” he explained.
“We have to raise awareness, especially if use starts to affect daily life, leading to sacrificing family time, neglecting sleep, or navigating inappropriate times – such as during classes,” he told Lusa.
In addition to the design platforms, the use of algorithms and the nature of quick videos, Wu identified other factors that trigger the dependency relationship.
According to the researcher, the stress daily life, the environment and even genetic predisposition contribute to addictive behaviors, detailed in the study.
“In fact, one of the primary reasons for addiction, which results in these compulsive behaviors, is the escape from unpleasant realities, pressures or situations in which people want to avoid confrontations,” explained Anise Wu, calling for awareness of the effects of watching short videos.
As for interventions with children, according to Wang Wei, “it is very important” to satisfy their emotional needs, while cultivating digital use and self-regulation skills, “instead of just removing the cell phone”.
By December 2024, the number of people with access to this type of videos in China reached close to 1.1 billion individuals, with 98.4% being active users of this format, according to the Annual Report on the Development of Audiovisual Services on the Internet, published by the Chinese authorities.
“The size of the industry exceeded 1.22 trillion yuan [149 bilhões de euros]driven by the consumption of short videos and live streaming [transmissão em tempo real]. Microseries have witnessed explosive user growth, while A.I. [Inteligência Artificial] generative technology has reshaped the content ecosystem,” the report revealed.
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