How can short videos be addictive? Scientists 'scan' the brain and found...

If you ask what is the favorite pastime of contemporary people, it is estimated that many people will say: watching videos. On the way to work, while eating, lying in bed before going to bed… Short videos are more and more deeply involved in our lives.

How much time do you spend watching short videos every day?

What is your brain doing when you watch short videos?

People who often watch short videos will have a feeling that after watching one video one by one, inertia will gradually form, and if you want to keep scrolling down, you can’t stop at all.

Have you ever wondered what happened to our brain at this time?

NeuroImage published a study from Zhejiang University in China that used a functional MRI to reveal the brain while watching short videos.

The researchers invited subjects to watch normally recommended videos for new users and personalized recommended videos for old users and found that some components of the brain’s default mode network were more active when watching personalized recommended videos, specifically including bilateral Superior and middle temporal gyrus, temporal pole, ventral posterior cingulate cortex, medial prefrontal cortex, and angular gyrus.

In addition, the ventral tegmental area of the midbrain and other discrete brain areas such as the lateral prefrontal lobe, the anterior thalamus, and the cerebellum, which are related to the reward system, also showed higher activation states. And the coupling of regions of the brain’s default mode network to visual and auditory pathways has also been enhanced, which may lead to greater video addiction by up-regulating attention and higher-level perception.

The default mode network is mainly composed of the medial prefrontal cortex, the posterior cingulate cortex, and the angular gyrus, and is a large neural network spanning the entire brain.

Decreased activity in the default mode network is the brain’s most visible signal when it comes to paying attention.

The default mode network becomes very active when people have nothing to do and think about.

Which nerve does the short video tease?

Adam Alter, Ph.D. of Psychology at Princeton University, in his book “Can’t Stop: How to Get Rid of Behavioral Addiction in the Age of Swiping” lists six elements of behavioral addiction: tempting goals, irresistible and unpredictable positive feedback, A sense of incremental improvement, increasingly difficult tasks, unresolved tensions that need to be resolved, strong social connections.

Irresistible and unpredictable positive feedback

When you open the short video software, there is almost no operation required, and the software will scroll to show you interesting and interesting short videos of more than ten seconds.

The background of the short video software can analyze everyone’s preferences based on big data, and make targeted pushes, so that people can’t help but wonder what the next one will be after watching one.

These surprises and surprises will prompt the brain to continuously secrete the “happy hormone” dopamine, which makes people feel joy and can’t help repeating a behavior.

Unresolved tension that needs to be resolved

Most of the short videos are only 15 seconds long and are accompanied by a climax of the music, which means that each short video must quickly show the main point of the story of the development, and it is incomplete, giving a feeling of unfinished business.

It is this kind of expectation of “unfinished” and “is there still” that will provoke the nerves of users, making people want to watch more and longer.

Have immediate goals

Short videos are mostly short, light-hearted, and can be watched quickly without much effort, which is very attractive in itself, and for people who take a long time in real life to feel that “one thing is done” is attractive. especially powerful.

Create difficult tasks

The short video software will also release some new, difficult, and interesting tasks from time to time for everyone to challenge.

Strong social connections

Many times we can see similar experiences to ourselves in videos and comment areas, hear the words that come into our hearts, and find things that we can empathize with… These are very important to loneliness, incomprehension, self-doubt, or being malicious and attacked. It’s a very safe “habitat” for people who are not alone, and it makes people feel like they’re not alone.

How to watch short videos in moderation

Nothing is absolutely good or bad, and the same is true for short videos:

A short video is a tool that allows people to contact more new things in a short period, and the transmission of any information in life needs this kind of short and smooth way.

For example, an advertisement introducing a product, an advanced technology that needs to be promoted and popularized to everyone, teaching everyone a small life skill in a short way, or leading everyone to appreciate the beauty of a tourist destination, etc.

On the one hand, a short video liberates the viewer’s nature and relieves pressure; on the other hand, it adds happiness and fun and makes life no longer dull.

Modern people are busy with work, and free time has become very precious, and short video is a very typical pastime and information sharing using fragmented time.

This kind of dissemination seems to improve efficiency, but in fact, the information obtained in a short period is not systematic, and because the video is short, it does not require people to concentrate for a long time, making it difficult for people to form effective memory.

Once we get used to this way of getting information, the attention span becomes shorter and shorter.

A short video is just a tool and platform. We can become its masters to improve ourselves and enrich our lives, instead of being led by tools.

When watching short videos, it is recommended to do:

Control time

Watching for a few hours is not only a waste of time, but also affects your eyesight. You must also pay attention to your priorities in life, and don’t miss the important things in reality by watching short videos.

Classified treatment

For some practical information that can increase your knowledge or make use of it, you can refer to it, but choose to ignore some vulgar and sensational content to avoid adverse effects.

For people who are not so addicted and just regret spending a lot of time watching videos, improving self-control is the key. Scheduling a regular viewing time, setting a good time, asking a friend to supervise interruptions, and putting your phone away before bed can all help to “break the brakes.”