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What studies have actually found about short-video feeds. Every record names its source, its study design and its limitations, and keeps the source’s finding apart from our reading of it.

Studies on addictive design

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  1. Swiping more, thinking less: Using TikTok hinders analytic thinking

    Jiang, Q.; Ma, L.
    Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 18(3)

    In two small experiments with Chinese university students, people who spent 20 to 30 minutes swiping through TikTok did slightly worse right afterwards on a short test of careful thinking than people who read or did not swipe. The act of swiping, not what the videos showed, seemed to make the difference. The effect was short-term.

    Design
    Randomised experiment
    Year
    2024
    Where
    China
    Topics
    Addictive design, Attention
    Limitations recorded

  2. Short-Form Videos Degrade Our Capacity to Retain Intentions: Effect of Context Switching On Prospective Memory

    Chiossi, F.; Haliburton, L.; Ou, C. et al.
    Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (ACM), pp. 1–15

    In a small lab study in Germany, 60 young adults were interrupted for 10 minutes during a task. Those who scrolled TikTok during the break became much worse at remembering to do something they had planned. Those who used Twitter, watched one YouTube video or rested did not. The authors think the quick switching between short videos is the reason, but the study is small and early.

    Design
    Controlled experiment
    Year
    2023
    Where
    Germany
    Topics
    Addictive design, Attention
    Limitations recorded

  3. Viewing personalized video clips recommended by TikTok activates default mode network and ventral tegmental area

    Su, C.; Zhou, H.; Gong, L. et al.
    NeuroImage, 237, 118136

    Researchers scanned the brains of young TikTok users in China. Videos picked for each person by TikTok's recommendations lit up parts of the brain linked to reward and self-focused thinking more than videos not picked for them. In a survey, users with more signs of problem use reported less self-control. Brain activity alone does not show addiction or harm.

    Design
    Controlled experiment
    Year
    2021
    Where
    China
    Topics
    Addictive design, Algorithmic recommendation, Digital behaviour
    Limitations recorded

A study is published here only after its source is identified and verified, its design classified, its finding checked against the original, and its limitations recorded. How we judge evidence