SOCIO-COGNITIVE CONSEQUENCES OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF DIGITAL ACTIVITY: RISKS AND RESOURCES OF SELF-REGULATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/2787-5137-2026-2-10Keywords:
socio-cognitive development, digital technologies, digital addiction, neuroplasticity, sustained attention, digital competenceAbstract
Introduction. The article examines the impact of digital technologies on the socio-cognitive development of personality in the context of pervasive digitalization. The relevance of the study is driven by the rapid increase in screen time, the early onset of gadget use, and the inconsistent findings regarding the consequences of such exposure. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of digital technologies on the socio-cognitive development of personality (primarily children, adolescents, and youth), taking into account the type of digital activity, the age period of involvement, and the role of reflective self-regulation strategies. Scientific novelty. The scientific novelty consists in the author’s theoretical generalization of the differentiated impact of digital technologies. Three interrelated groups of factors are identified: 1) the type of digital activity (active, purposeful interaction facilitates the development of certain cognitive functions, whereas passive consumption of fragmented content is associated with a decline in cognitive indicators); 2) the age period of involvement in the digital environment; 3) the presence of reflective self-regulation strategies that perform a compensatory function. The proposed framework is of a theoretical nature. Conclusions. The analysis of the literature indicates the ambivalent impact of digital technologies: active purposeful use may promote the development of certain cognitive functions, while passive consumption of fragmented content is associated with reduced sustained attention, working memory, and deep reading ability. One of the possible mechanisms discussed in the literature is neuroplasticity and the functioning of the dopamine reward system; however, most of the available data are correlational. Reflective self-regulation strategies may compensate for negative effects, although their effectiveness requires further investigation. Longitudinal studies of the long-term consequences of different types of digital activity are considered the most promising direction for future research.
References
Дослідження медіаспоживання населення України : аналітичний звіт / М-во культури та інформ. політики України, Благодійн. фонд «МХП − Громаді», Gradus. Київ, 2026. Лютий/Березень. URL: https://mincult.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/gradus_report_final-present_mincult_2004206.pdf (дата звернення: 14.07.2026).
Національне дослідження щодо онлайн-безпеки дітей в Україні (2026). Dignity Online. 2026. URL: https://dignityonline.in.ua/adult/doslidzhennia/national-research-2026/ (дата звернення: 14.07.2026).
Ali Z., Janarthanan J., Mohan P. Understanding digital dementia and cognitive impact in the current era of the internet: A review. Cureus. 2024. Vol. 16, № 9. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.70029
Alter A. Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked. Penguin Press, 2017. 368 pp.
American Psychiatric Association, DSM-5 Task Force. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5™ (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc., 2013. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
Baron N. S. How We Read Now: Strategic Choices for Print and Screen. New York : Oxford University Press, 2021. 304 p.
«Brain rot» named Oxford Word of the Year 2024. Oxford University Press. URL: https://corp.oup.com/news/brain-rot-named-oxford-word-of-the-year-2024/ (дата звернення: 14.07.2026).
Carr N. The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains. New York : W. W. Norton & Company, 2020. 320 p.
Clark D. B., Tanner-Smith E. E., Killingsworth S. S. Digital games, design, and learning: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research. 2016. Vol. 86, No. 1. P. 79–122. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654315582065
Fardouly J., Vartanian L. R Social media and body image concerns: Current research and future directions. Current Opinion in Psychology. 2016. Vol. 9. P. 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2015.09.005
Feng J., Spence I., Pratt J. Playing an action video game reduces gender differences in spatial cognition. Psychological Science. 2007. Vol. 18, No. 10. P. 850–855. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01990.x
Flavell J. H. Theory-of-mind development: Retrospect and prospect. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly. 2004. Vol. 50, № 3. P. 274–290. https://doi.org/10.1353/mpq.2004.0018
Healthy Screens. The largest global study on phone addiction. URL: https://www.healthyscreens.com/ (дата звернення: 09.07.2026).
Hinduja S., Patchin J. W. Cyberbullying through the lens of trauma: an empirical examination of US youth. BMC Public Health. 2025. Vol. 25, № 1. P. 1709. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22692-6
Manwell L. A., Tadros M., Ciccarelli T. M., Eikelboom R. Digital dementia in the internet generation: Excessive screen time during brain development will increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in adulthood. Journal of Integrative Neuroscience. 2022. Vol. 21, № 1. Art. 28. https://doi.org/10.31083/j.jin2101028
Marci C. D. Rewired: Protecting Your Brain in the Digital Age. Cambridge, MA : Harvard University Press, 2022. 272 p.
Marino C., Canale N., Melodia F., Spada M. M., Vieno A. The overlap between problematic smartphone use and problematic social media use: A systematic review. Current Addiction Reports. 2021. Vol. 8, № 4. P. 469–480. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-021-00398-0
Mark G. Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity. Hanover Square Press, 2023. 368 p.
Montag C., Becker B. Neuroimaging the effects of smartphone (over-)use on brain function and structure—a review on the current state of MRI-based findings and a roadmap for future research. Psychoradiology. 2023. Vol. 3. kkad001. URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/psyrad/kkad001.
Montag C., Elhai J. D. On Social Media Design, (Online-)Time Well-spent and Addictive Behaviors in the Age of Surveillance Capitalism. Current Addiction Reports. 2023. Vol. 10, № 3. P. 610–616. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-023-00494-3
Notara V., Vagka E., Gnardellis C., Lagiou A. The emerging phenomenon of nomophobia in young adults: A systematic review study. Addiction & Health. 2021. Vol. 13, № 2. P. 120–136. https://doi.org/10.22122/ahj.v13i2.309.
Schneider S., Beege M., Nebel S., Schnaubert L., Rey G. D. The cognitive-affective-social theory of learning in digital environments (CASTLE). Educational psychology review. 2022. Vol. 34, № 1. P. 1−38. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-021-09626-5
Uncapher M. R., Lin, L., Rosen, L. D., Kirkorian, H. L., Baron, N. S., Bailey, K., ... & Wagner, A. D. Media multitasking and cognitive, psychological, neural, and learning differences. Pediatrics. 2017. 140 (Supplement_2), P. 62-66. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-1758D
Primack B. A., Shensa, A., Sidani, J. E., Whaite, E. O., yi Lin, L., Rosen, D., ... & Miller, E. Social media use and perceived social isolation among young adults in the U.S. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2017. Vol. 53, № 1. P. 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2017.01.010.
Przybylski A. K., Murayama K., DeHaan C. R., Gladwell V. Motivational, emotional, and behavioral correlates of fear of missing out. Computers in Human Behavior. 2013. Vol. 29, № 4. P. 1841–1848. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.02.014
Przybylski A. K., Weinstein N. Can you connect with me now? How the presence of mobile communication technology influences face-to-face conversation quality. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. 2013. Vol. 30, № 3. P. 237–246. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407512453827
Schmitgen M. M., Wolf, N. D., Sambataro, F., Hirjak, D., Kubera, K. M., Koenig, J., & Wolf, R. C. Aberrant intrinsic neural network strength in individuals with «smartphone addiction»: An MRI data fusion study. Brain and Behavior. 2022. Vol. 12. e2739. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.2739
Strauss W., Howe N. Generations: The History of America’s Future, 1584 to 2069. New York : William Morrow & Company, 1991. 538 p.
Terlecki M. S., Newcombe N. S. How important is the digital divide? The relation of computer and videogame usage to gender differences in mental rotation ability. Sex Roles. 2005. Vol. 53, No. 5−6. P. 433–441. URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-005-6765-0 (дата звернення: 14.07.2026).
Tian J., Li B., Zhang R. The impact of upward social comparison on social media on appearance anxiety: A moderated mediation model. Behavioral Sciences. 2024. Vol. 15, No. 1. Art. 8.https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15010008
Uncapher M. R., Thieu M. K., Wagner A. D. Media multitasking and memory: Differences in working memory and long-term memory. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. 2016. Vol. 23, No. 2. P. 483–490. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-015-0907-3
Wolf M. Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World. Harper, 2018. 260 p.
