Humans inhabit a social world. With the march of history and the discovery of novel technologies, our ability to socialise has been in a state of constant flux to varying degrees. However, modes of human interaction have undergone a massive shift in the 21st century with the emergence of smartphones and social media platforms.  According to a Pew report, almost half of US teens say that they are online ‘almost constantly’. This is understandably terrifying for the previous generation, especially parents of young people, witnessing this shift in sociality.  Simultaneously, in the current public discourse, claims about the negative impact of these technologies on mental health and cognition are widespread. But what does the relevant science say? What can it say? Should we really be worried? If so, what precisely should these worries be? Today’s guest is here to answer all these questions, or at least some of them.

Amy Orben is a Programme Leader Track Scientist at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit (CBU) and a Fellow at St. John's College, University of Cambridge. She leads the Digital Mental Health programme at the MRC CBU. She is a multi-award winning psychologist and a world expert on examining how digitalisation & social media use impact adolescent mental health. Prior to leading the digital mental health programme at Cambridge, she completed an MA in Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge before joining the University of Oxford to obtain her DPhil in Experimental Psychology, for which she was awarded the BPS Award for Outstanding Doctoral Research 2019.

Book recommended by Amy

1. Behind Their Screens: Carrie James and Emily Weinstein

Credits:

1. Interview: Tanay Katiyar
2. Artwork: Ella Bergru
3. Editing: Jay Richardson
4. Music: Thelma Samuel and Robin Baradel
5. Communication: Tanay Katiyar and Marius Mercier