There’s been a lot of conversation recently about overuse of smartphones and particularly the effects of social media – especially on younger people.
Here’s a piece of research that adds something really interesting to that discussion.
Researchers took 320 college students and split them into two groups.
One group played a violent video game for 20 minutes.
The other played a neutral, nonviolent game.
Then something unexpected happened.
Right outside the room, the researchers staged a scenario where someone had been attacked and was lying on the ground, clearly in pain and unable to get up.
The question was simple:
How quickly would someone step in to help?
The results were striking.
Those who had played the nonviolent game took, on average, about 16 seconds to offer help.
Those who had played the violent game took 1 minute 13 seconds.
That’s over four times longer.
Now, this doesn’t mean that violent games make people violent. But it does suggest something more subtle – and perhaps more important.
The content we consume can shape how we respond to other people’s suffering.
Repeated exposure to aggressive or violent content may desensitise us.
It can dampen activity in the brain regions linked with empathy, meaning we simply don’t feel as much when someone else is hurting.
But here’s the part I really love.
The opposite is also true.
When we expose ourselves to content that highlights kindness, compassion, and people helping one another, we’re strengthening those same empathy pathways.
(Fun fact: this is one of the reasons I frequently create content on the theme of kindness).
We’re training ourselves to notice… to feel… and to respond.
Because empathy isn’t fixed.
It’s trainable.
So whether we’re scrolling, watching, or listening, it’s worth asking a simple question:
What is this content training in me?
Because, your feed is feeding you.
And over time, it may shape not just what we think…
…but how we show up for other people.
Try this
Today, notice what you’re consuming. That’s it. Just pay attention.
And if you can, intentionally include something (even if it means doing a search) that shows the best of who we are – e.g., a story of kindness, compassion, or someone helping another. Maybe even an animal rescue.
Remind yourself that there’s vast amounts of positive and inspiring content available, even if the algorithm doesn’t always show it to you.
It might be doing more for your brain – and your heart – than you realise.
Want to explore more?
I always make a YouTube video based on these Better You, Backed by Science emails.
If you’d like to view this one, where I dive a little deeper into the science, here’s the direct link.
And here’s a link to my entire Better You, Backed by Science playlist, with a video on every single previous email going back to the middle of last year.
References (for those who wish to explore further)
I first wrote about thus study in one of my books back in 2011. The book is called, ‘The Contagious Power of Thinking‘, where I have entire chapter on the theme.
I thought I’d write about it this week because the subject feels more relevant now than ever.
Here’s the paper:
Bushman, B. J., & Anderson, C. A. (2009). Comfortably numb: Desensitizing effects of violent media on helping others. Psychological Science, 20(3), 273-7.
Here’s the link.
More
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