Much of the public conversation around digital technology tends to focus on what’s going wrong: we scroll too much, sleep too little, and seem glued to our phones. But that’s only part of the picture. What often goes unrecognized is how well many of us are actually adapting to digital life.
Humans are remarkably resilient and adaptive. Throughout history, we’ve reshaped our behaviors and environments in response to new tools and challenges. The digital era is no exception. As our lives have become increasingly mediated by screens, many people are already adjusting their habits—consciously or not—to foster well-being and connection, rather than diminish it.
As a research fellow with the Human Flourishing Lab at the Archbridge Institute, I was a part of a team that surveyed a nationally representative sample of Americans about their digital flourishing. As part of that survey, we also asked them about their digital habits and found that several habits we might think are bad for our mental, physical, and social health may not be as bad as once thought.
For example, checking email first thing in the morning—often viewed as a harmful habit—was linked to better motivation and mental health, likely because it helps people feel oriented and prepared for the day. Furthermore, while avoiding screens before bed is often promoted as a universal best practice, we found only slight associations with improved health outcomes compared to engaging with screens before bed.
Continue reading at Psychology Today.
Sophie Janicke-Bowles
Sophie Janicke-Bowles, PhD, is a positive media psychology fellow at the Archbridge Institute’s Human Flourishing Lab. Dr. Janicke-Bowles is also an associate professor at Chapman University. Her interdisciplinary research and teaching intersect the field of positive psychology with media studies. Specifically, she is researching what type of usage and content of media can increase well-being, connectedness, transcendence, and prosociality across a variety of media platforms (i.e., social media, computer-mediated communication, films, TV, music).
Dr. Janicke-Bowles also regularly blogs for Psychology Today and is the Director of Research at the Digital Wellness Institute, where she develops resources to help organizations reduce mental health challenges and turnover through digital wellness initiatives. Dr. Bowles is a teacher, researcher and innovator who is passionate about sharing the science of positive media psychology with others.
Psychology of Flourishing
Much of the public conversation around digital technology tends to focus on what’s going wrong: we scroll too much, sleep too little, and seem glued to our phones. But that’s only part of the picture. What often goes unrecognized is how well many of us are actually adapting to digital life.
Humans are remarkably resilient and adaptive. Throughout history, we’ve reshaped our behaviors and environments in response to new tools and challenges. The digital era is no exception. As our lives have become increasingly mediated by screens, many people are already adjusting their habits—consciously or not—to foster well-being and connection, rather than diminish it.
As a research fellow with the Human Flourishing Lab at the Archbridge Institute, I was a part of a team that surveyed a nationally representative sample of Americans about their digital flourishing. As part of that survey, we also asked them about their digital habits and found that several habits we might think are bad for our mental, physical, and social health may not be as bad as once thought.
For example, checking email first thing in the morning—often viewed as a harmful habit—was linked to better motivation and mental health, likely because it helps people feel oriented and prepared for the day. Furthermore, while avoiding screens before bed is often promoted as a universal best practice, we found only slight associations with improved health outcomes compared to engaging with screens before bed.
Continue reading at Psychology Today.
Sophie Janicke-Bowles
Sophie Janicke-Bowles, PhD, is a positive media psychology fellow at the Archbridge Institute’s Human Flourishing Lab. Dr. Janicke-Bowles is also an associate professor at Chapman University. Her interdisciplinary research and teaching intersect the field of positive psychology with media studies. Specifically, she is researching what type of usage and content of media can increase well-being, connectedness, transcendence, and prosociality across a variety of media platforms (i.e., social media, computer-mediated communication, films, TV, music).
Dr. Janicke-Bowles also regularly blogs for Psychology Today and is the Director of Research at the Digital Wellness Institute, where she develops resources to help organizations reduce mental health challenges and turnover through digital wellness initiatives. Dr. Bowles is a teacher, researcher and innovator who is passionate about sharing the science of positive media psychology with others.
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