Digital technologies and evolutionary mismatch: Harming, but also healing mental health

What is it about?

Evidence linking social media & mental health is mixed. Blaming it as an "evolutionary mismatch" (bad for how we evolved) is too simple. This view ignores other societal problems (e.g. heightened social isolation, reduced free play) that are plausible mismatches as well. Additionally, it also fails to recognise how social media resolves these mismatches. This paper proposes a theoretical perspective that addresses these limitations and provides novel experimental predictions.

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Photo by Mariia Shalabaieva on Unsplash

Photo by Mariia Shalabaieva on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Many of us blame social media as the sole candidate for increasing mental health problems. This paper attempts to put into perspective, other candidates that might also be responsible for this trend.