Scientists find a hidden problem with endless smartphone scrolling
Excessive smartphone use may be taking a hidden toll on the brain and body, with heavy scrolling linked to poorer memory, reduced attention, disrupted sleep, and potential balance problems. Researchers found that weak self-control and fear of missing out, rather than personality alone, are key factors behind problematic phone use.
Key points
- Problematic smartphone use is linked more to poor self-control and fear of missing out than to personality traits alone.
- Heavy passive scrolling is associated with worse memory, attention, sleep, and posture-related balance issues.
- Researchers recommend healthier phone habits rather than eliminating smartphones from young people's lives.
A study from Semmelweis University suggests that the real problem with smartphone use may not be total screen time but what people do during that time. Researchers found that problematic smartphone use is closely associated with poor self-control and a strong fear of missing out (FOMO), rather than personality traits alone.
The study, published in Acta Psychologica, examined students aged 18 to 35 and identified three patterns of phone use: pure social, light process, and heavy process. Heavy process users, about one third of participants, spent four to five hours or more per day consuming online content rather than communicating directly with others.
Cognitive and physical effects
Heavy scrolling was linked to poorer memory, reduced concentration, and disrupted sleep. Cognitive testing showed that heavy process users performed worse on memory and attention tasks than expected for their age, and reported a stronger desire for continuous stimulation.
Total usage time was more closely associated with physical consequences. Holding a phone below eye level can cause forward head posture, or text neck, which puts extra strain on the neck and may lead to balance problems and changes in sensory signals.
Our main finding is that personality alone -- such as a high level of neuroticism -- does not make someone addicted to their phone.
— Dr. Johanna Takács
What researchers recommend
The researchers do not believe smartphones should be eliminated from young people's lives. They recommend reducing unnecessary notifications, limiting time on social platforms, avoiding phone use before bedtime, and increasing physical activity and better posture.
Because weak self-control and fear of missing out were strongly associated with problematic use, the team emphasizes helping young people manage impulses and feel less pressure to stay constantly connected. They note that even people who are naturally more anxious or stress-prone are not necessarily destined to develop unhealthy phone habits.
