Pete Etchells

Screen time - broadly, the number of hours a person uses some sort of screen-based technology per day - is one of the most divisive issues in media and communications psychology. Although we regularly see stories in the news about the detrimental effects of using screens, robust scientific research in the area is woefully lacking. This talk will cover some contemporary and historical issues in media psychology research, and consider strengths and weaknesses of current screen time research. Using the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, we have recently tried to address some of the questions concerning the effects of smartphone use on teenage anxiety. Data from this study will be presented, and recommendations as to how we can fix this toxic research area will be identified.