The “online brain”: How the Internet may be changing our cognition
Open accessAbstract
The impact of the Internet across multiple aspects of modern society is clear. However, the influence that it may have on our brain structure and functioning remains a central topic of investigation. Here we draw on recent psychological, psychiatric and neuroimaging findings to examine several key hypotheses on how the Internet may be changing our cognition. Specifically, we explore how unique features of the online world may be influencing: a) attentional capacities, as the constantly evolving stream of online information encourages our divided attention across multiple media sources, at the expense of sustained concentration; b) memory processes, as this vast and ubiquitous source of online information begins to shift the way we retrieve, store, and even value knowledge; and c) social cognition, as the ability for online social settings to resemble and evoke real‐world social processes creates a new interplay between the Internet and our social lives, including our self‐concepts and self‐esteem. Overall, the available evidence indicates that the Internet can produce both acute and sustained alterations in each of these areas of cognition, which may be reflected in changes in the brain. However, an emerging priority for future research is to determine the effects of extensive online media usage on cognitive development in youth, and examine how this may differ from cognitive outcomes and brain impact of uses of Internet in the elderly. We conclude by proposing how Internet research could be integrated into broader research settings to study how this unprecedented new facet of society can affect our cognition and the brain across the life course.
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Students who exceed 2 hours of daily social media screen time tend to perform worse on cognitive assessments than those with restricted screen time.
“Moreover, students who exceed 2 hours of daily screen time on social media tend to exhibit poorer performance on cognitive assessments in comparison to those with restricted screen time (Firth, Torous, Stubbs, Steiner, Smith,2019).”
From SCROLLING AND SUSTAINED ATTENTION: HOW SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE SUSTAINED ATTENTION OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS (2024) · cites this paper as Firth, Torous, Stubbs, Steiner, Smith,2019
In “Cognitive consequences of the attention-grabbing Internet” (page not provided), the paper reports poorer performance on some cognitive tasks among frequent media multitaskers. It does not establish the claimed comparison between students spending more than two hours a day on social media and students with restricted screen time; its social-media discussion concerns mental health rather than cognitive assessments. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe study's findings are consistent with previous research indicating that excessive reliance on AI tools can negatively impact critical thinking skills.
“Our findings are consistent with previous research indicating that excessive reliance on AI tools can negatively impact critical thinking skills.”
From AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking (2025) · cites this paper as Firth et al. [24]
In “How does a supernormal stimulus interact with normal cognition?” (page unavailable), the paper reports that less analytical thinkers used smartphones more for online information searches and discusses possible cognitive miserliness. It also suggests reliance on online searching may impede memory retrieval. These passages concern Internet use, not AI tools, and do not show that reliance on AI harms critical-thinking skills. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredChildren who used digital tools for more than 2 hours per day had lower scores on cognitive tests than those who used them less.
“Children who used digital tools for more than 2 h per day had lower scores on cognitive tests than those who used them less (Firth et al., 2019).”
From The impact of digital technology, social media, and artificial intelligence on cognitive functions: a review (2023) · cites this paper as Firth et al., 2019
The Conclusions and Directions section (page unavailable) reports that more frequent Internet use over three years in children was linked to lower verbal intelligence at follow-up. It does not report a comparison of children using digital tools for more than two hours per day with those using them less, or cognitive-test scores for those groups. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredSocial isolation is associated with poor health outcomes and increased mortality.
“Paradoxically, social media use is linked to social isolation (ie, a lack of social connections and quality relationships with others),21 which is associated with poor health outcomes and increased mortality.1”
From Brain health consequences of digital technology use (2020) · cites this paper as [1]
Society has transitioned from the information age to the age of interruption.
“We have indeed transitioned now from the information age to the age of interruption (Firth et al., 2019).”
From The impact of digital technology, social media, and artificial intelligence on cognitive functions: a review (2023) · cites this paper as Firth et al., 2019
The Internet is an unprecedented form of extended memory.
“On the other hand, they highlight that the Internet is an unprecedented form of extended memory.”
From The Cognitive Architecture of Digital Externalization (2023) · cites this paper as Firth et al. (2019)
The Internet is a major drain on attention in everyday life.
“On the one hand, they summarize how the Internet is a major drain on attention in everyday life.”
From The Cognitive Architecture of Digital Externalization (2023) · cites this paper as Firth et al. (2019)
Constant Internet usage may affect cognitive and social processes, mental health, and brain functioning through multiple pathways.
“constant Internet usage may be affecting our cognitive and social processes, along with mental health and brain functioning 124 .”
From A meta-review of "lifestyle psychiatry": the role of exercise, smoking, diet and sleep in the prevention and treatment of mental disorders (2020) · cites this paper as [124]
Engagement through the MyCHOIS-CommonGround website was associated with a higher level of ongoing engagement in out-patient mental health service compared to the control group.
“engagement through the MyCHOIS–CommonGround website was associated with a higher level of ongoing engagement in out-patient mental health service compared to that of the control group”
From The role of shared decision-making in improving adherence to pharmacological treatments in patients with schizophrenia: A clinical review (2020) · cites this paper as [47]
No significant differences were found in the adherence rate with antipsychotic medication for the MyCHOIS-CommonGround intervention.
“although no significant differences were found in the adherence rate with antipsychotic medication”
From The role of shared decision-making in improving adherence to pharmacological treatments in patients with schizophrenia: A clinical review (2020) · cites this paper as [47]
The MyCHOIS-CommonGround intervention was cost-effective, making it particularly suitable for attaining long-term outcomes in patients with severe mental disorders.
“Another noticeable advantage was the cost-effectiveness of the intervention which makes it particularly suitable for attaining long-term outcomes in patients with severe mental disorders [46–50]”
From The role of shared decision-making in improving adherence to pharmacological treatments in patients with schizophrenia: A clinical review (2020) · cites this paper as [47]
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“The impact of social media on the developing brain also re mains an unresolved 61 yet frequently discussed topic, especially as the pandemic has forced increasing reliance on technology to connect people.”
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Self-citationAI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking
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“Another study [24] explores how digital tools and the Internet affect various cognitive functions, including attention, memory, and critical thinking, offering insights into the potential downsides of heavy reliance on digital technologies.”
The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on youth mental health
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Brain health consequences of digital technology use
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21st-Century Readers: Developing Literacy Skills in a Digital World
OECD (2021) · PISA · doi:10.1787/a83d84cb-en · Cited by 337 · see citing works
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“Therefore, such a fragmentation pattern might lead to addiction (Firth et al. 2019).”
BackgroundA survey of E-learning methods in nursing and medical education during COVID-19 pandemic in India
Singh, H. K., Joshi, A. K., Malepati, R. N., Najeeb, S., Balakrishna, P., Pannerselvam, N. K., Singh, Y. K., & Ganne, P. (2021) · Nurse Education Today · doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2021.104796 · Cited by 166 · see citing works
“The habitual use of digital devices has been shown to affect the attention span negatively (Firth et al., 2019; Wilmer et al., 2017).”
Positive Effects of Digital Technology Use by Adolescents: A Scoping Review of the Literature
Haddock, A. D., Ward, N. L., Yu, R., & O’Dea, N. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph192114009 · Cited by 190 · see citing works
“…utilizing brain imaging techniques have documented how intensive digital engagement can lead to changes in the brains of children and adolescents and affect brain functions, such as cognition, language, and visual perception (e.g., Firth et al. [44]; Hutton et al. [45]; Winnick & Zolna [46]).”
BackgroundSarris, J. J., Thomson, R. J., Hargraves, F., Eaton, M., de Manincor, M., Veronese, N., Solmi, M., Stubbs, B., Yung, A. R., & Firth, J. (2020) · BMC Medicine · doi:10.1186/s12916-020-01813-5 · Cited by 147 · see citing works
“Additionally, more research is needed on the potential psychological impact of increasing screen time, which has raised concerns in recent years [26].”
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Ye, X., Zhang, W., & Zhao, F. (2023) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115311 · Cited by 153 · see citing works
Gender differences in the addiction to social networks in the Southern Spanish university students
Martínez, P. A., Ruiz‐Rubio, M., Perea-Moreno, A.-J., Martínez-Jiménez, P., Pagliari, C., Redel-Macías, M. D., & Abellán, M. V. (2019) · Telematics and Informatics · doi:10.1016/j.tele.2019.101304 · Cited by 193 · see citing works
Going digital: how technology use may influence human brains and behavior
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Psychological Functioning of Slovene Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Does Resilience Matter?
Kavčič, T., Avsec, A., & Kocjan, G. Z. (2020) · Psychiatric Quarterly · doi:10.1007/s11126-020-09789-4 · Cited by 123 · see citing works
“The older adults who did participate in our study are (compared to the non-participating older adults) probably more familiar with modern digital technology, which could be associated with better cognitive and social functioning [39], leading to better mental health and confounding possible age effects investigated in…”
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“The ways of interacting with the environment have also changed [8,9].”
BackgroundThe contribution of social media addiction to adolescent LIFE: Social appearance anxiety
Caner, N., Efe, Y. S., & Başdaş, Ö. (2022) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-022-03280-y · Cited by 128 · see citing works
“On the other hand, although social acceptance levels in real world for adolescents are open to comment, the number of “friends”, “likes”, and “views” they reach through social media platforms clearly measure their social acceptance levels (Firth et al., 2019).”
BackgroundFiorillo, A., Barlati, S., Bellomo, A., Corrivetti, G., Nicolò, G., Sampogna, G., Stanga, V., Veltro, F., Maina, G., & Vita, A. (2020) · Annals of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1186/s12991-020-00293-4 · Cited by 110 · see citing works
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What Holds Attention? Linguistic Drivers of Engagement
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Cultural evolution of genetic heritability
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The impact of social network sites on mental health: distinguishing active from passive use
Verduyn, P., Gugushvili, N., & Kross, E. F. (2021) · World Psychiatry · doi:10.1002/wps.20820 · Cited by 92 · see citing works
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“Our previous review 1 concluded by highlighting the need for further research to establish how individual characteristics, such as age, may influence the effects of Internet usage on mental health.”
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“The pervasiveness of the smartphone affects the private, social, and work lives, inasmuch as the constant presence of the device leads to a hyper-connected experience [1,2], where individuals are continuously connected to others and information through technological devices [3,4].”
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“The way in which people interact with each other, entertain themselves, and consume through the media has been modified through the Internet [5].”
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Exploring the Impact of Internet Use on Memory and Attention Processes
Firth, J. A., Torous, J. B., & Firth, J. (2020) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph17249481 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
Self-citationThe Cognitive Architecture of Digital Externalization
Skulmowski, A. (2023) · Educational Psychology Review · doi:10.1007/s10648-023-09818-1 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
“Firth et al. (2019) describe the Internet as a “superstimulus.””
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Dynamic reading in a digital age: new insights on cognition
Liao, S., Yu, L., Kruger, J., & Reichle, E. D. (2023) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2023.08.002 · Cited by 77 · see citing works
Demystifying the New Dilemma of Brain Rot in the Digital Era: A Review
Yousef, A. M. F., Alshamy, A., Tlili, A., & Metwally, A. H. S. (2025) · Brain Sciences · doi:10.3390/brainsci15030283 · Cited by 86 · see citing works
Vancampfort, D., Ashdown‐Franks, G., Smith, L., Firth, J., Damme, T. V., Christiaansen, L., Stubbs, B., & Koyanagi, A. (2019) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2019.03.076 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
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“On the other hand, as being digitally connected has become the default of modern living, long-form reading is more exposed to competition on the readers’ attention (Firth et al., 2019; Terranova, 2012).”
Montag, C., & Becker, B. (2023) · Psychoradiology · doi:10.1093/psyrad/kkad001 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
“Most of the research endeavors to date have been trying to understand how the digital revolution and the ubiquitous use of digital platforms may affect mental health, daily life functioning, social interactions, and also the brain (Firth et al. , 2019; Montag & Diefen-bach, 2018).”
BackgroundKim, Y. K., & Han, S. H. (2021) · The Gerontologist · doi:10.1093/geront/gnab149 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Emergence of the ‘Digitalized Self’ in the Age of Digitalization
Chan, K. T. (2022) · Computers in Human Behavior Reports · doi:10.1016/j.chbr.2022.100191 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Rodríguez, J. M. R., Díaz, I. A., Marín, J. A. M., Costa, R. S., & Jiménez, C. R. (2020) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph17124336 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
“In the same way, the information exchange of information through platforms and social networks has been streamlined and transformed, since the Internet has been a before and after in this regard [3].”
BackgroundEditorial: Lifestyle Psychiatry
Firth, J., Ward, P. B., & Stubbs, B. (2019) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00597 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
“Whereas a recent major review has identified several pathways through which digital technology use can influence cognition (18), the role of these devices in mental healthcare is not well characterized.”
BackgroundSelf-citationCognitive Network Science for Understanding Online Social Cognitions: A Brief Review
Stella, M. (2021) · Topics in Cognitive Science · doi:10.1111/tops.12551 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
A framework for equitable virtual rehabilitation in the metaverse era: challenges and opportunities
Véras, M. M. S., Labbé, D. R., Furlano, J. A., Zakus, D., Rutherford, D. J., Pendergast, B., & Kairy, D. (2023) · Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences · doi:10.3389/fresc.2023.1241020 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
“To mitigate these risks, professionals can include measures to assess the frequency and duration of virtual engagement by collecting data from devices, sensors, or self-report measures, ensuring a balanced approach to rehabilitation in a Metaverse environment (47).”
BackgroundYan, R., Liu, X., Xue, R., Duan, X., Li, L., He, X., Cui, F., & Zhao, J. (2024) · EClinicalMedicine · doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102767 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
“38 ICTs offer a wide range of cognitive stimulation and challenges, such as learning new skills and engaging in intellectually stimulating activities.”
BackgroundOECD (2022) · OECD digital economy papers · doi:10.1787/44f5e846-en · Cited by 82 · see citing works
Addiction by design: some dimensions and challenges of excessive social media use
Mujica, A. L., Crowell, C. R., Villano, M. A., & Uddin, K. M. (2022) · Medical Research Archives · doi:10.18103/mra.v10i2.2677 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
Text Materialities, Affordances, and the Embodied Turn in the Study of Reading
Hillesund, T., Schilhab, T. S. S., & Mangen, A. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.827058 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Alho, K., Moisala, M., & Salmela‐Aro, K. (2022) · European Psychologist · doi:10.1027/1016-9040/a000477 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Hjetland, G. J., Finserås, T. R., Sivertsen, B., Colman, I., Hella, R. T., & Skogen, J. C. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph191711133 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
“While face-to-face feedback is often ambiguous and open to interpretation, feedback on social media often represents quantifiable indicators of one’s social success [36], which can be directly compared to others’ success.”
BackgroundInternet usage and the prospective risk of dementia: A population‐based cohort study
Cho, G., Betensky, R. A., & Chang, V. W. (2023) · Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · doi:10.1111/jgs.18394 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
“In addition to social and economic status, the gap in cognitive health between internet users and non-users may vary by generation, given generational differences in the quantity and patterns of usage.(14,15) Moreover, although adults may stop, start, or continue to use the internet in late adulthood, little is known…”
BackgroundVancampfort, D., Hallgren, M. Å., Schuch, F. B., Stubbs, B., Smith, L., Rosenbaum, S., Firth, J., Damme, T. V., & Koyanagi, A. (2019) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2019.11.066 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
Self-citationRumination as a Transdiagnostic Phenomenon in the 21st Century: The Flow Model of Rumination
Wong, S. M. Y., Chen, E. Y. H., Lee, M. C. Y., Suen, Y. N., & Hui, C. L. M. (2023) · Brain Sciences · doi:10.3390/brainsci13071041 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Fasbender, U., Gerpott, F. H., & Rinker, L. (2022) · Work Aging and Retirement · doi:10.1093/workar/waac035 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
Li, Z., & Zhang, J. (2023) · Journal of Destination Marketing & Management · doi:10.1016/j.jdmm.2023.100825 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Vancampfort, D., Damme, T. V., Firth, J., Hallgren, M. Å., Smith, L., Stubbs, B., Rosenbaum, S., & Koyanagi, A. (2019) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0224339 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
Self-citationNawaz, S. (2024) · Computers in Human Behavior Reports · doi:10.1016/j.chbr.2024.100424 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
Ye, J., Zheng, J., Nong, W., & Yang, X. (2025) · International Journal of Mental Health Promotion · doi:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.059929 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
“As individuals spend more time multitasking across digital devices, these behaviors not only cause persistent changes but also impair cognitive abilities, an issue of growing importance [19].”
Use of generative AI in research: ethical considerations and emotional experiences
Farangi, M. R., Nejadghanbar, H., & Hu, G. (2024) · Ethics & Behavior · doi:10.1080/10508422.2024.2420133 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
“The “online brain” metaphor proposed by Firth et al. (2019) highlights the effects of technologies, like the Internet, on human cognition.”
Guo, L., Shi, G., Du, X., Wang, W., Guo, Y., & Lu, C. (2021) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2021.03.050 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Examining the Digital Nativity Levels of Digital Generations: From Generation X to Generation Z
Çoklar, A. N., & Tatlı, A. (2021) · Shanlax International Journal of Education · doi:10.34293/education.v9i4.4224 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
“Firth et al. (2019) stated in their definition of “online brain” that the internet changed the way the brain works.”
BackgroundVancampfort, D., Van Damme, T., Firth, J., Smith, L., Stubbs, B., Rosenbaum, S., Hallgren, M., Hagemann, N., & Koyanagi, A. (2019) · Preventive Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.105819 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Self-citationKabir, H., Hasan, M. K., & Mitra, D. K. (2021) · Annals of Medicine · doi:10.1080/07853890.2021.2009908 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
Information security risk management models for cloud hosted systems: A comparative study
Irsheid, A., Murad, A., AlNajdawi, M., & Qusef, A. D. (2022) · Procedia Computer Science · doi:10.1016/j.procs.2022.08.025 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Kelton, M., Sullivan, M. J., Rogers, Z., Bienvenue, E., & Troath, S. (2022) · International Affairs · doi:10.1093/ia/iiac226 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Clinical Staging for Youth Mental Disorders: Progress in Reforming Diagnosis and Clinical Care
McGorry, P. D., & Mei, C. (2021) · Annual Review of Developmental Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev-devpsych-050620-030405 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Internet use, depression, and cognitive outcomes among Chinese adolescents
Zhou, M., & Ding, X. (2021) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.22779 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Sun, J.-T., Hu, B., Chen, T.-Q., Chen, Z., Shang, Y., Li, Y., Wang, R., & Wang, W. (2023) · Brain Imaging and Behavior · doi:10.1007/s11682-023-00762-w · Cited by 38 · see citing works
“…Lee et al., 2018; Liu et al., 2014; Loh & Kanai, 2016; Ma et al., 2019), cognitive problems (attention capacities, memory processes, and social cognition) (Firth et al., 2019), and psychiatric disorders (depression, anxiety, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder) (Jorgenson et al., 2016;…”
BackgroundKavaklı, M., & Ünal, G. (2021) · Current Issues in Personality Psychology · doi:10.5114/cipp.2021.105349 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
“For example, because online social environments resemble real-world social processes and these types of environments may affect individuals to become alerted through this way, social lives of these individuals, including self-concepts and self-esteem, may create a new interaction with the internet (Firth et al., 2019).”
BackgroundEye-tracking for the study of financial decision-making: A systematic review of the literature
Borozan, M., Cannito, L., & Palumbo, R. (2022) · Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance · doi:10.1016/j.jbef.2022.100702 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Journalism Ethics for the Algorithmic Era
Paik, S. (2023) · Digital Journalism · doi:10.1080/21670811.2023.2200195 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
“…2013), the outcome of the algorithmically-led content organization encourages readers to engage in behavior that is immediate and convenient (Firth et al. 2019). the same editor above noted that they practice constant content and comment moderation in order to keep the integrity of the…”
Digital tools for youth mental health
Uhlhaas, P. J., & Torous, J. B. (2019) · npj Digital Medicine · doi:10.1038/s41746-019-0181-2 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Self-citationTraining and education in digital psychiatry: A perspective from Asia‐Pacific region
Orsolini, L., Jatchavala, C., Noor, I. M., Ransing, R. S., Satake, Y., Shoib, S., Shah, B., Ullah, I., & Volpe, U. (2021) · Asia-Pacific Psychiatry · doi:10.1111/appy.12501 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
“Therefore, in the Indian sample there is a great disparity in terms of Internet and digital tools access, as already reported in previous studies (Andersson et al., 2019; Firth et al., 2019; Ransing et al., 2021; Shoib & Yasir Arafat, 2020b).”
ResultNetwork architectures supporting learnability
Zurn, P., & Bassett, D. S. (2020) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences · doi:10.1098/rstb.2019.0323 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Understanding the influence of digital technology on human cognitive functions: A narrative review
de Barros, E. C. (2024) · IBRO Neuroscience Reports · doi:10.1016/j.ibneur.2024.11.006 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
Cespón, M. T., & Lage, J. M. D. (2022) · Contemporary Educational Technology · doi:10.30935/cedtech/12297 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
“Thus, as multitasking is encouraged by digital technologies, more succinct formats are convenient to sustain attention (Baron, 2017; Cilliers, 2017; Firth et al., 2019; Llorca Abad, 2015).”
BackgroundMaftei, A., Merlici, I.-A., & Dănilă, O. (2023) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.1062688 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
“Often, adolescents with a high level of cognitive involvement in social media use express solid beliefs about the importance of social media in their personal lives, constantly thinking about social media use (43).”
BackgroundWang, R., Qamruzzaman, M., & Karim, S. (2024) · Heliyon · doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30142 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
“Firth, Torous [65] also found that the availability of information on the internet has contributed significantly to advancing innovation and creativity.”
BackgroundRetractedHoare, E., Werneck, A. O., Stubbs, B., Firth, J., Collins, S., Corder, K., & van Sluijs, E. M. F. (2020) · JAMA Network Open · doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.11381 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Self-citationPengpid, S., & Peltzer, K. (2020) · Psychological Reports · doi:10.1177/0033294120968502 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
“In addition, sedentary behaviour in this adolescent population is likely to include social media use, which can lead to social isolation (Firth et al., 2019).”
BackgroundMedical Education e-Professionalism (MEeP) framework; from conception to development
Guraya, S. S., Frcs, S. Y. G., Harkin, D. W., Ryan, Á., Nor, M. Z. M., & Yusoff, M. S. B. (2021) · Medical Education Online · doi:10.1080/10872981.2021.1983926 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
“Continuous presence in the digital environment has been shown to exhaust cognitive reserves and undermine neuro-cognitive outcomes leading to impaired impulse-control and decision-making [47].”
BackgroundStarlink satellite project impact on the Internet provider service in emerging economies
Shaengchart, Y., & Kraiwanit, T. (2023) · Research in Globalization · doi:10.1016/j.resglo.2023.100132 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Zhu, Q., Li, X., Dong, Y., Chang, P., & Fan, M. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1878629 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
“Yet the very operations now being delegated—reasoning, synthesis, evaluation, and creative generation—are the higher-order processes through which learning and professional expertise are built (Firth et al., 2019,?).”
Li, Y., Liu, C., Sun, J., Zhang, J., Li, X., & Zhang, Z. (2024) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/59684 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
“The continuous influx of online information and multimedia streams with multiple presentation modes during the use of ICTs encourages older adults to engage in attention-switching and simultaneous attention to multiple tasks, thereby enhancing the processing speed of cognitive resources [29].”
Unlocking the brain secrets of social media through neuroscience
Montag, C., Marciano, L., Schulz, P. J., & Becker, B. (2023) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2023.09.005 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Benedetto, L., Rollo, S., Cafeo, A., Rosa, G. D., Pino, R., Gagliano, A., Germanò, E., & Ingrassia, M. (2024) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph21040386 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
“Researchers agree that the advent of new technologies has fundamentally altered individuals’ interactions with their environment (e.g., [22,23]).”
BackgroundChen, B., Yang, C., Ren, S.-S., Li, P.-G., & Zhao, J. (2024) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/57301 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
“The study by Firth et al [17] suggested that the use of the internet may influence cognitive function through 3 key factors: attentional capacity, memory processes, and social cognition.”
Dagher, M., Farchakh, Y., Barbar, S., Haddad, C., Akel, M., Hallit, S. R., & Obeïd, S. (2021) · Head & Face Medicine · doi:10.1186/s13005-021-00260-8 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Menculini, G., Tortorella, A. A. V., Albert, U., Carmassi, C., Carrà, G., Cirulli, F., Dell’Osso, B. M., Luciano, M., Nanni, M. G., Pompili, M., et al. (2021) · Brain Sciences · doi:10.3390/brainsci11111413 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Chiang, M., Yen, C., & Chen, H. (2022) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su141811352 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Kiss, H., Fitzpatrick, K. M., & Piko, B. F. (2019) · Children and Youth Services Review · doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104612 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Family-based therapy for internet addiction among adolescents and young adults: A meta-analysis
Wang, H., Li, X., Lok, K.-I., Meng, C., Tan, Y., Lee, U. M., Lei, L. S. M., & Chan, N. (2024) · Journal of Behavioral Addictions · doi:10.1556/2006.2024.00015 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
“Moreover, it is associated with changes to brain regions responsible for attention, impulse control, emotional competence and much more (Firth et al., 2019; Sun et al., 2023).”
Backgroundvon Hoyer, J. F., Hoppe, A., Kammerer, Y., Otto, C. A., Pardi, G., Rokicki, M., Yu, R., Dietze, S., Ewerth, R., & Holtz, P. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.827748 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
“In both cases, it is also essential that the respective knowledge is updated on a regular basis: Just as technology advances rapidly, usage patterns and cognitive processes on the side of the users are also evolving as a consequence of adaptation processes (Firth et al., 2019).”
BackgroundShaengchart, Y., Kraiwanit, T., & Butcharoen, S. (2023) · Technology in Society · doi:10.1016/j.techsoc.2023.102279 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Problematic Smartphone Use on Mental Health: A Systematic Mapping Study and Taxonomy
Schroeder, G. L., Heckler, W. F., Francisco, R., & Barbosa, J. L. V. (2021) · Behaviour and Information Technology · doi:10.1080/0144929x.2022.2149422 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
“In addition to the bene fi ts of these new smartphone features, there are concerns regarding this hyper-connected experience (Firth et al. 2019).”
BackgroundAllan, S., Ward, T., Eisner, E., Bell, I., Cella, M., Chaudhry, I. B., Torous, J. B., Kiran, T., Kabir, T., Priyam, A., et al. (2024) · Schizophrenia Bulletin · doi:10.1093/schbul/sbae031 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Firth, J., Torous, J., Stubbs, B., Firth, J. A., Steiner, G. Z., Smith, L., Alvarez‐Jimenez, M., Gleeson, J., Vancampfort, D., Armitage, C. J., & Sarris, J.
- Affiliations
- The University of Melbourne (AU)
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (US)
- National Health Service (GB)
- Western Sydney University (AU)
- Anglia Ruskin University (GB)
- Centre for Youth Mental Health University of Melbourne Melbourne Australia
- KU Leuven (BE)
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (GB)
- ORCID
- Venue
- World Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2019-05-06
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 119-129
- ISSN
- 1723-8617 (ISSN-L)
- 2051-5545
- PMC
- PMC6502424
- OpenAlex
- W2944285188
- Cited by
- 694
- References
- 135
- Citations by year
- 2026: 136 · 2025: 100 · 2024: 98 · 2023: 145 · 2022: 76 · 2021: 77 · 2020: 46 · 2019: 16
- FWCI
- 108.16
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- World Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- Lirias (KU Leuven) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Anglia Ruskin Research Online (Anglia Ruskin University) (submittedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
- Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (APP1125000, ICA-CL-2017-03-001, NIHR-INF-0685)
- NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre
- Patient Safety Translational Research Centre
- Manchester Biomedical Research Centre
- Medical Research Council
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/S009752/1)
- National Health and Medical Research Council (1102532, 1125000, 1082934)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Science Applications › Digital Media and Philosophy
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Information Systems and Management › Personal Information Management and User Behavior
- Keywords
- internet use, cognitive change, attention, divided attention, sustained attention, memory, online information, social cognition, self-concept, self-esteem, online social interaction
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