A new UCL study discovers that negative web content impacts mental health, creating a cycle of negativity. A new browser plug-in aims to help break this cycle by guiding users toward more positive online experiences.
In a revealing new study, researchers from University College London (UCL) have uncovered a concerning link between poor mental health and browsing negative content online. Published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, the study highlights a bi-directional, causal relationship, suggesting that exposure to negatively valenced content not only mirrors a person’s mood but can actively worsen it.
“Our results show that browsing negatively valenced content not only mirrors a person’s mood but can also actively worsen it. This creates a feedback loop that can perpetuate mental health challenges over time,” co-lead author Tali Sharot, a professor of cognitive neuroscience in UCL’s Department of Psychology & Language Sciences, said in a news release.
The study involved more than 1,000 participants who provided data on their mental health and web browsing history. Using advanced natural language processing techniques, the emotional tone of the webpages visited by the participants was analyzed.
The results indicated that individuals with poorer mental health tended to consume more negative online content, which subsequently exacerbated their mental health issues.
To further establish causality, another phase of the study manipulated the type of content the participants were exposed to. Some participants viewed negative content while others viewed neutral content.
Those exposed to negative content reported worse moods and, when allowed to browse freely afterward, chose to consume more negative content, demonstrating the bi-directional nature of the relationship.
“The results contribute to the ongoing debate regarding the relationship between mental health and online behavior. Most research addressing this relationship has focused on the quantity of use, such as screen time or frequency of social media use, which has led to mixed conclusions. Here, instead, we focus on the type of content browsed and find that its emotional tone is causally and bidirectionally related to mental health and mood,” added co-lead author Christopher Kelly, a doctoral student in UCL’s Department of Psychology & Language Sciences.
In light of these findings, the researchers tested an intervention aimed at altering web-browsing habits and improving mood.
They developed a free browser plug-in — dubbed the Digital Diet extension — that adds content labels to Google search results, indicating whether the result is likely to improve, worsen or have no impact on mood.
The participants shown these labels were more likely to choose positively-labeled and mood-improving sites, and subsequently reported better moods.
“We are accustomed to seeing content labels on our groceries, providing nutritional information such as sugar, calories, protein and vitamins to help us make informed decisions about what we eat. A similar approach could be applied to the content we consume online, empowering people to make healthier choices online,” Sharot concluded.