This week’s must-reads: Does digital technology make students stupid?

In my work as a behavioral designer, I come across important stories on how psychology influences our behavior. Every week, I share my round-up of the most important stories at the intersection of psychology, technology and business. I hope you enjoy them!

Does time spent on social media impact mental health? New BYU study shows screen time isn’t the problem. (BYU News) New research found that the amount of time spent on social media is not directly increasing anxiety or depression in teenagers.

Does digital technology make students stupid? (Big Think)
Conventional wisdom believes “screen time” disrupts mental development, but research hints at a more complicated relationship between our minds and digital technology.

How Pinterest Built One of Silicon Valley’s Most Successful Algorithms (OneZero) Inside the company’s powerful recommendations tool — and it’s efforts to avoid the scandals facing its rivals.

High Schools to TikTok: We’re Catching Feelings (The New York Times)
Teens love the app, and now it’s getting the stamp of approval with teacher-approved clubs.

It’s Time To Push Back Against Distraction (Entrepreneur) We live in a world of constant distraction these days. It’s getting harder and harder to focus on the things that actually matter.

Reduce Distractions With a Customized ‘Do Not Disturb’ Response (Lifehacker) You can customize the auto-responder so it tells people why you aren’t available and when you’ll respond to their texts and calls.

Happy reading!

- Nir