Is life brighter when your phone is not? The efficacy of a grayscale smartphone intervention addressing digital well-being

Datos Bibliográficos

ID13012012
AutoresC Dekker (0000-0003-2269-224X, University of Amsterdam, autor de correspondencia), Susanne E Baumgartner (0000-0001-6031-8836, University of Amsterdam)
Año2023
Volumen12
Número3
Páginas688-708
Fecha de publicación2023-11-09
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaMobile Media & Communication (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2050-1579 • E-ISSN: 2050-1587
EditorialSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/20501579231212062
OpenAlexW4388538921
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas11
Referencias citadas61

In response to the growing public concern about digital well-being, many tools have been developed for individuals to reduce their screen time. An understudied but promising self-nudge intervention is turning off smartphone screen colors (i.e., grayscaling). Since a grayscale setting is available on all smartphones, it has the potential to be an easily implemented intervention. The main aim of the current study was to assess the efficacy of a grayscale intervention by addressing its effects on both objective smartphone behavior as well as on daily subjective indicators of digital well-being. Participants’ smartphone use was tracked for 2 weeks ( N = 84). The first week served as a baseline measure, followed by a 1-week grayscale intervention. Findings indicate that daily screen time was significantly reduced by 20 min, yet the daily number of phone unlocks did not change, suggesting deep-rooted checking habits. Moreover, grayscaling improved perceived control over one's smartphone use, and reduced perceived overuse, online vigilance, and stress, but did not affect productivity or sleep quality. Overall, findings indicate that grayscaling is an effective strategy to reduce screen time and improve digital well-being

Affect (linguistics · Cognitive psychology · Distraction · Grayscale · Intervention (counseling · Mobile phone · Multimedia · Phone · Applied Psychology · Communication · Computer Science · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Innovative Human-Technology Interaction · Psychology · Technology Adoption and User Behaviour · Artificial Intelligence