Doomscrolling: A Review

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic has changed the daily life habits of individuals as well as affecting their physical health. Efforts to acquire information about the outbreak and combat uncertainty have led to an increase in individuals' consumption of negative news. Technology and social media platforms have facilitated access to this information, resulting in the emergence of a new term called "doomscrolling". Doomscrolling is defined as the act of spending excessive time online navigating through unpleasant news, despite it being saddening or demoralising. Among the underlying reasons for this behavior, the desire to cope with uncertainty and the quest for positive information stand out. Additionally, personality traits and mental health status emerge as significant factors influencing this behavior. Strategies to reduce or prevent doomscrolling involve controlling technology usage, finding positive content to balance negative information, and engaging in offline activities that positively impact mental well-being. Given ongoing wars, economic crises, natural disasters, and similar situations, individuals' desire for information may lead to doomscrolling behavior, posing a risk of negative effects. Therefore, efforts aimed at promoting conscious technology usage and content consumption habits could be a critical step in preventing doomscrolling.

Keywords

• doomscrolling
• news
• social media

Felaket Kaydırması: Bir Gözden Geçirme

Öz

COVID-19 pandemisi bireylerin fiziksel sağlığını etkilediği kadar günlük yaşam alışkanlarını da değiştirmiştir. Salgınla ilgili bilgi alma ve belirsizlikle mücadele çabası sonucu bireylerin olumsuz haber tüketimi artırmıştır. Teknoloji ve sosyal medya platformları da bu bilgilere erişimi kolaylaştırmıştır. Bu durum felaket kaydırması adlı yeni bir terimin ortaya çıkmasına neden olmuştur. Felaket kaydırması, üzücü veya moral bozucu olmasına rağmen hoş olmayan haberler arasında gezinerek çevrimiçi aşırı zaman harcama olarak tanımlanmaktadır. Bu davranışın altında yatan nedenler arasında, belirsizlikle mücadele etme isteği ve olumlu bilgileri bulma çabası öne çıkmaktadır. Buna ek olarak, kişilik özellikleri ve zihinsel sağlık durumu, bu davranışı etkileyen önemli faktörlerdendir. Felaket kaydırmasının azaltılması veya önlenmesi adına teknoloji kullanımının kontrol altına alınması, olumsuz içerikleri dengeleyici olumlu içeriklerin bulunması ve bireylerin ruh sağlığını olumlu etkileyen çevrimdışı aktivitelerin gerçekleştirilmesi gibi stratejilerden yararlanılabilmektedir. Günümüzde de devam eden savaş, ekonomik kriz, doğal afetler gibi durumlar düşünüldüğünde bireylerin bilgi edinme isteği sonucu felaket kaydırması davranışında bulunarak olumsuz etkilenme riski bulunmaktadır. Bu doğrultuda, bilinçli teknoloji kullanımı ve içerik tüketim alışkanlıklarına yönelik yapılacak çalışmalar felaket kaydırmasını önleme açısından kritik bir adım olabilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Felaket kaydırması
• haberler
• sosyal medya

Kaynakça

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