Swiping more, thinking less: Using TikTok hinders analytic thinking

Abstract

The rapid rise and widespread use of short video applications (SVA) have significantly reshaped our understanding of social media, technology, and human social behavior. Particularly among young users, frequent social media usage and continuous swiping through endless video feeds have become pervasive phenomena. Using dual-process theory, this experimental study explored the psychological consequences of using SVA from two studies. Our findings contributed to the understanding of the cognitive implications of SVA use in young adults in the following ways. Watching short videos predicted less analytic thinking that could go beyond initially flawed intuitions in reasoning (Study 1). Additionally, the process of swiping through the short video feeds, rather than the video content itself, negatively influenced users’ propensity to think analytically; and the decreased positive affect mediated the effect of TikTok usage on analytic thinking (Study 2). These results showed that users should be aware that the common daily leisure activity of using short video applications increases one’s inherent tendency to fast and automatic thinking processing, which can impair their judgment and decision-making in other tasks, such as information discernment. This study indicated the negative implications of artificial intelligence agencies for young adults’ thinking processing in psychological and social domains.