Jonathan Haidt’s popular book “The Anxious Generation” has struck a chord with many parents worried about their children’s excessive smartphone use. It has also caught the attention of organizations like the American Psychological Association, Common Sense Media, and U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who are all concerned about the impact of smartphones and social media on the mental health of adolescents.
Haidt’s assertion that Generation Z individuals have varying mental health issues compared to previous generations due to their exposure to smartphones, along with his recommendations for reducing this exposure, have generated significant criticism.
In the words of Oxford professor Andrew Przybylski, a frequent critic of Haidt, he believes that Haidt’s claims lack sufficient evidence to support them. Stetson University’s Chris Ferguson also pointed out that the recent increase in suicides in America is not only affecting teenagers. University of California Irvine’s Candice Odgers criticized Haidt’s book in a Nature journal article, stating that he is adding to unfounded fears about phones and telling stories that are not backed by research.
However, Haidt and his main researcher, Zach Rausch, are standing firm in what Rausch describes as a typical academic discussion.
Rausch tells Fortune that they are trying to explain a particular change that occurred among a specific group of children at a specific time. He also expresses his openness to the idea that they may be somewhat incorrect about the extent to which smartphones and social media have caused the change over the last decade. However, he firmly believes that there is strong evidence to suggest that these technologies have led to a significant rise in anxiety, depression, and self-harm among young individuals.
In this passage, Rausch explains the ideas behind The Anxious Generation and addresses any objections that have been raised.
What is the Anxious Generation claiming?
The main concept of the book is that there was a shift in the lives of American youth between 2010 and 2015. The goal of the book is to analyze this shift and its impact on the distinct characteristics of Generation Z. The differences often seen in this generation, such as higher rates of mental health issues like anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide, are discussed in the book according to Rausch.
He and Haidt highlight several alarming statistics, such as the significant rise in American teens reporting a “major depressive episode” in the past year, with most occurring before the pandemic. They also note a sharp increase in emergency room visits for self-harm among girls aged 10 to 14, as well as a rise in suicide deaths. Similarly, there has been an increase in ER visits for self-harm and suicide deaths among boys as well.
Rausch explains that a similar trend is apparent not only in the United States but also in other English-speaking countries, with well-being and mental health measures showing declines globally at the same time. This is the key issue that they are trying to tackle.
Their theory suggests that one of the key changes during that time period, particularly among young people and specifically adolescent girls, was the shift of social interactions to smartphones and social media. They observed that this group went from spending minimal time on platforms like Instagram when it was introduced in 2010, to dedicating up to four or five hours a day on these platforms by 2015.
The way children interact with one another, their family, and even strangers has been altered by technology. This change is what is meant by the rewiring of childhood, according to Rausch. It is a shift in the way we communicate and interact with others, unlike any other technological advancement. Television, for example, did not have the same impact on our relationships.
Controversy has surrounded three specific questions.
Rausch poses several key questions regarding the mental health crisis. Firstly, skeptics question the existence and extent of the crisis. Secondly, they inquire whether it is a global issue or limited to the United States. Finally, if one acknowledges the crisis, they must consider the role of social media.
However, even if you do not believe that there is a crisis, Rausch points out that social media may still not be safe for children. He suggests that this aspect often gets overlooked, such as in the Surgeon General report, where the main focus is on whether social media can be linked to the increase in issues. Rausch highlights that there are various products for children that result in deaths each year, prompting immediate action to remove them from the market.
Barriers: Causing alarm based on morality, absence of proof.
According to Rausch, a common criticism of the book is that some experts in media effects who have observed past panics surrounding technologies, such as video games or comic books, are concerned and skeptical that history may be repeating itself.
In reply, he emphasizes that they attempt to argue, quite simply, “This time is unique. It truly is not the same as before.”
Raush and Haidt are criticized for their second point, which involves the evidence they refer to. They gathered every available study on the topic, compiling them into public Google Documents. Raush explains that they found “hundreds and hundreds” of studies, ranging in quality from low to high. Some critics argue that many of these studies only show a correlation, not a causation, between factors such as social media and mental health problems.
Conducting experiments on young people to investigate causation is challenging due to various reasons, according to the speaker. Firstly, social media is a relatively new phenomenon, constantly changing and evolving. Additionally, conducting experiments on children is generally not ethical. Therefore, the type of experiment that would truly test the effects of social media on young people, such as assigning different groups of children to have different childhood experiences, is unethical and would never be approved.
Coming to a specific and definitive scientific conclusion is challenging, which is typical of social science. This is the reason why there is often a lot of discussion and disagreement in this field.
Rausch and Haidt use a variety of evidence, including firsthand reports from Gen Z, parents, and teachers, as well as internal documents from social media companies like Instagram, which show teen girls reporting negative effects on their body image and mental health from using the platform.
The researchers have also honed in on their belief that social media, particularly when used heavily, possesses qualities akin to addiction and will consequently lead to withdrawal symptoms when discontinued.
He explains that a significant aspect of the narrative revolves around the experiences of a community as they increasingly rely on addictive online platforms.
Other reasons for pushback
“There are groups of people who are highly optimistic about technology – they have great faith in the power of technology and believe that more technological advancements can solve global issues,” Rausch explains. For individuals who hold such beliefs strongly, the discoveries of the Anxious Generation study might make them feel that any concerns are just minor obstacles. They may believe that things will improve as we continue to develop technology to address the challenges that technology itself creates, and that progress will continue in that direction.”
There is also a legitimate worry about the government having control over social media, which Rausch describes as more of a criticism from a libertarian perspective.
He also expresses concern that these issues may be receiving disproportionate attention compared to other equally important topics, such as poverty and the opioid epidemic.
However, setting aside all arguments, he acknowledges that many of the concerns raised by the Anxious Generation are undeniable. This includes the proven link between increased use of social media and higher levels of anxiety or depression, as well as the significant amount of harm that occurs on these platforms. This harm includes the increase in cases of sextortion, where teenagers are pressured into sending explicit photos online.
Rausch always feels confident they are making the right progress when they communicate with a teenager, parent, or teacher. “Whenever I feel uncertain,” he explains, “I consult with those directly involved.”
