Is your focus fading? Study links short videos to attention decline

Researchers report that excessive short-video viewing is associated with poorer executive control, highlighting risks to attention and impulse regulation

In an age where scrolling through short videos on mobile phones feels as natural as walking, new research suggests this habit might be doing more harm than good.

 

A study titled 'Mobile phone short video use negatively impacts attention functions: an EEG study', published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, links excessive short-form video consumption with weakened attention and self-control, challenging the perception that such content is harmless entertainment.

 

What did the study find?

 

Researchers from Zhejiang University in China conducted a study to explore whether using short-form videos on mobile phones has a measurable effect on attentional functions. They recruited 48 healthy adults and used electroencephalogram (EEG) data while participants completed the Attention Network Test (ANT), a standard tool for assessing attention and cognitive control.

 

 

Key findings included:

 

• A higher tendency towards mobile short-video addiction was significantly linked to reduced executive control, which is the part of the brain that helps you plan, focus and inhibit distractions
• Stronger short-video addiction scores correlated with lower self-control overall

 

The study suggests that individuals who tend to overuse short videos may struggle more with maintaining sustained concentration and controlling impulses, two core components of attention.

 

Why experts are concerned

 

Clinical practitioners who work with technology overuse are seeing similar effects in real life. Psychologists describe an emerging phenomenon known as 'popcorn brain', where constant exposure to rapid, highly stimulating content trains the mind to expect never-ending novelty. As a result:

 

• the brain becomes less comfortable with slower, less stimulating tasks
• attention span shrinks
• resistance to distraction weakens over time

 

Though not a clinical diagnosis, this term captures a real shift in how digital content can rewire our expectations of stimulation, making everyday focus feel harder.

 

Dr Manoj Kumar Sharma, a professor of clinical psychology at NIMHANS and head of the SHUT Clinic (Service for Healthy Use of Technology), highlights that mobile-based short video platforms tap into the brain’s reward systems. He explains that these videos deliver quick bursts of visual and emotional stimulation and reward users repeatedly with novelty, so soon the brain begins to chase that quick hit again and again, much like any habitual behaviour. This can foster a pattern where real-world tasks requiring effort and attention feel comparatively unrewarding and dull.

 

Dr Sharma emphasises that while short videos themselves are not inherently harmful, how they are consumed matters. Unregulated and compulsive use can make it increasingly difficult to sustain attention on activities that demand focus and delayed gratification.

 

Beyond attention: What other risks do experts warn of?

 

• Higher stress and reduced impulse control - A global review of nearly 98,000 people observed that heavier scrolling tends to correlate with weaker focus and higher stress levels, though it did not establish direct causation
• Poorer mood and emotional regulation - Constant novelty chasing may condition the brain towards short bursts of reward, potentially making sustained calm or patience feel harder to achieve
• Sleep disruption - Late-night phone use can mislead the brain into thinking it is still daytime, interfering with sleep quality and clarity of thought the next day

 

What you can do to preserve your focus

 

• Set periodic screen breaks each day
• Limit viewing of short videos when you need to focus
• Avoid scrolling before bed to protect your sleep cycle
• Use tools like screen time limits and mindful usage reminders

 

Given the current findings, researchers suggest developing mental training interventions to enhance self-control, for example by incorporating mindfulness meditation practices to address self-control deficits associated with short video addiction.   

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This report is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.