February 2017 PMID 28085574

A Large-Scale Test of the Goldilocks Hypothesis.

Andrew K Przybylski, Netta Weinstein

Download social card

Mentions

261
Peak: 3 in Jan 2019
across 6 sources since Jan 2019

Extended reach

228,373
potential audience

Total likes

107

Video views

1,398

Mentions per month

Jan 2019 – Sep 2025

Where it's discussed

  • News197 articles
  • X / Twitter31 posts
  • Blogs18 articles
  • Facebook10 posts
  • YouTube3 videos
  • Bluesky2 posts

AI synopsis

What people are saying

Discussions often highlight the robustness of the evidence, citing detailed figures such as 'over 120,000 adolescents' and emphasizing phrases like 'moderate use is not harmful' and 'can be beneficial,' demonstrating an appreciation for the research's scope and nuanced findings. The tone varies from supportive to analytical, reflecting a balanced acknowledgment of the study's implications.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions support the study's conclusion that moderate digital screen time is not harmful and can be beneficial, showing general consensus with phrases like 'not intrinsically harmful' and 'may be advantageous.'

InterestHigh interest

Posts demonstrate high interest with mentions of the large sample size, implications for adolescent well-being, and references to detailed research, suggesting engagement with the study's findings and methodology.

EngagementModerate engagement

Several posts refer to specific aspects like differences between media types, implications for policy, and connections to mental health, indicating participant depth through references to research impacts and nuanced debates.

ImpactModerate impact

While many acknowledge the study's significance, comments emphasize its influence on guidelines and future research, indicating a moderate but meaningful potential to shape perspectives on digital use and youth health.

Abstract in brief

  • The study analyzed data from over 120,000 English adolescents to understand how digital screen time relates to mental wellbeing, finding that the relationship is quadratic, meaning moderate use is generally not harmful and may even be beneficial.
  • The research revealed that the timing of digital use (weekdays vs weekends) influences its impact, highlighting the importance of considering daily routines when assessing digital activities' effects on mental health.
  • Overall, the findings suggest that moderate digital technology use is not inherently damaging and can be advantageous, providing guidance for limiting adolescent screen time and a framework for future rigorous research on digital use and youth wellbeing.

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Real Scientists DE
@realsci_DE · X

"Overall, the evidence indicated that moderate use of digital technology is not intrinsically harmful and may be advantageous in a connected world." Daten: Repräsentative Studie mit 120.115 Schülern in UK. (Przybylski & Weinstein, 2017). https://t.co/QPOQHLl6XD @ShuhBillSkee

Jan 10, 2019 · 25 likes · 1 share · 18,090 followers View post →
Gaming the Mind
@gamingthemind · X

it's a helpful study that finds that moderate screen time, including games, is *not* linked to worse mental wellbeing. but it's not necessarily relevant, here. 5/ https://t.co/yG6VjjhKSk

May 24, 2021 · 14 likes · 2 shares · 3,459 followers View post →
Paul Ramchandani
@paulramchandani · X

Enjoyable morning train reading on screen use and health in adolescents from @ShuhBillSkee & Netta Weinstein - the Goldilocks hypothesis. Thoughtful, considered research https://t.co/95E5VaDqkV

Mar 21, 2019 · 11 likes · 2 shares · 4,544 followers View post →
yann leroux
@yannleroux · X

@the_english_way @SteMarais @bortzmeyer Przybylski, A.K., & Weinstein, N. (2017). A large-scale test of the goldilocks hypothesis: Quantifying the relations between digital screen use and the mental wellbeing of adolescents. Psychological Science, 28, 204-215.

Feb 10, 2019 · 8 likes · 12,997 followers View post →
Elia
@psychedeliacat · X

https://t.co/BqAExyQP1Q is source, interesting to note the difference between "hot media" like videogames vs stuff like using the smartphone. other studies support that using social media to genuinely connect and not just refresh twitter until your brain is goo (like me) is fine

Apr 4, 2020 · 7 likes · 2,278 followers View post →
Anne-Laure Le Cunff
@neuranne · X

Source: https://t.co/gpj1VxWpQU

Jul 1, 2022 · 5 likes · 68,602 followers View post →

All mentions

tokimeki.blue
@tokimeki.blue · Bluesky

* Przybylski, A. K., & Weinstein, N. A large-scale test of the Goldilocks hypothesis (2017)

Sep 10, 2025 · 3 likes View post →
(3ω3)ノ ロビ
@LoVi_nagoya · X

#FランとAIの会話 #SNS SNS利用時間にみる精神負荷 ~集団的特性の普遍性と最小集団の脆弱化~ まとめ:AI先生 文献 Oxford Internet Institute A Large-Scale Test of the Goldilocks Hypothesis: Quantifying the Relations Between Digital-Screen Use and the Mental Well-Being of Adolescents https://t.co/q9owGlMr9s

Jun 30, 2025 · 17 followers View post →
Cam Hostinar, Ph.D.
@camhostinar.bsky.social · Bluesky

A Large-Scale Test of the Goldilocks Hypothesis: Quantifying the Relations Between Digital-Screen Use and the Mental Well-Being of Adolescents journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....

Jun 16, 2025 · 3 likes · 1 share View post →
MK lab
@mkoba_lab · X

メディアごとのスクリーンタイムと幸福感の関連の大規模調査(N=約12万!)で,ゴルディロックス仮説(ちょうどいい仮説)を検証。使用時間が幸福感に与える正負の影響が使用時間によって変化し,メディアごとにその程度が異なるが,使用しすぎは幸福感の低さと関連。 https://t.co/xydEniu3uO

Nov 14, 2023 · 1 like · 74 followers View post →
Langkah Cerita✨
@ohbeshine · X

Referensi: Przybylski, A. K., & Weinstein, N. (2017). A large-scale test of the goldilocks hypothesis: Quantifying the relations between digital-screen use and the mental well-being of adolescents. Psychological Science, 28(2), 204-215.

Oct 2, 2023 · 1 like · 200 followers View post →
Annette Dölle
@Annettedolle · X

Goldilocks: ‘Moderate use of digital tech is NOT intrinsically harmful’. Evidence based. Mobieltje wegleggen op school, maar computers en digitale edu-games gamification gewoon doen! Bron: https://t.co/OJFETA8r5o #onderwijs #edutech https://t.co/LZ1oAQHwaR

Jul 2, 2022 · 1,604 followers View post →
Anne-Laure Le Cunff
@neuranne · X

Source: https://t.co/gpj1VxWpQU

Jul 1, 2022 · 5 likes · 68,602 followers View post →
faris
@faris · X

@James_Pooley @mitpress my understanding is the former https://t.co/6tbOgAzOpz

Feb 8, 2022 · 37,681 followers View post →
José Moreno
@jose_moreno · X

A Large-Scale Test of the Goldilocks Hypothesis: Quantifying the Relations Between Digital-Screen Use and the Mental Well-Being of Adolescents - Andrew K. Przybylski, Netta Weinstein, 2017 https://t.co/gCFMVJUwyJ

Jan 4, 2022 · 842 followers View post →
51品茶官方
@51pcof · X

#Summer6110UPEI "Overall, the evidence indicated that moderate use of digital technology (by adolescents) is not intrinsically harmful and may be advantageous in a connected world." https://t.co/dq8J7hHcxv

Jul 18, 2021 · 1 like · 133 followers View post →
Joey
@gonewtheclouds · X

RT @gamingthemind: it's a helpful study that finds that moderate screen time, including games, is *not* linked to worse mental wellbeing. b…

May 26, 2021 · 2 shares · 25 followers View post →
Gaming the Mind
@gamingthemind · X

it's a helpful study that finds that moderate screen time, including games, is *not* linked to worse mental wellbeing. but it's not necessarily relevant, here. 5/ https://t.co/yG6VjjhKSk

May 24, 2021 · 14 likes · 2 shares · 3,459 followers View post →
Andreas Lieberoth
@lieberothdk · X

@lchausmann @StineLiv og vi bør overveje

Apr 11, 2021 · 3,321 followers View post →
NUS CTIC
@nuscticnus · X

While long hours of digital screen time may present a negative influence on mental wellbeing, moderate levels of use may provide advantages to adolescents and benefit their development in terms of communication, creativity and social growth. https://t.co/TX9wUTyUFv https://t.co/Rp4Zwib8Md

Feb 28, 2021 · 216 followers View post →
Donziger Class Battleship
@KyleOrkmansen · X

Similar conclusion "Overall, the evidence indicated that moderate use of digital technology is not intrinsically harmful and may be advantageous in a connected world." https://t.co/bsaptQn4bY

Dec 27, 2020 · 387 followers View post →
Vincent Bernard
@VBe404 · X

Avec un échantillon pareil Przybylski & Weinstein, pour qui la santé mentale baisse aussi bien avec les temps d’écrans faibles que élevés, peuvent aller se rhabiller ! https://t.co/lOWKffOKKW

Jul 12, 2020 · 2 likes · 685 followers View post →
ユガレイ
@yugarey_Vnarou · X

@YamadaLorenzo メディアのせいか、情報を調べようとしないのか そういうことを言う老害がいるのは本当に残念です ゲームに関してはオックスフォード大学の研究である程度なら幸福度を上げますが一定量のプレイ時間を超えると幸福度が下がるので程々が人間にとっては1番いいのかもしれません https://t.co/2igw25Eu5t

Jul 7, 2020 · 1 like · 23,239 followers View post →
Elia
@psychedeliacat · X

https://t.co/BqAExyQP1Q is source, interesting to note the difference between "hot media" like videogames vs stuff like using the smartphone. other studies support that using social media to genuinely connect and not just refresh twitter until your brain is goo (like me) is fine

Apr 4, 2020 · 7 likes · 2,278 followers View post →
Stéphanie de Vanssay 
@2vanssay · X

RT @yannleroux: @GrablyR @TouitTouit Je ne veux pas vous assomer sous une tonne de références. @OrbenAmy https://t.co/kkyivBNyEq et @ShuhBi…

Feb 12, 2020 · 1 share · 14,442 followers View post →
yann leroux
@yannleroux · X

@GrablyR @TouitTouit Je ne veux pas vous assomer sous une tonne de références. @OrbenAmy https://t.co/kkyivBNyEq et @ShuhBillSkee sont de bons points d'entrée dans la discussion https://t.co/kXY21fMNaJ

Feb 12, 2020 · 5 likes · 1 share · 12,997 followers View post →
Milko R. Gonzalez-Lopez
@milkogonzalez · X

@marinawl @HenkelGarcia Qué bien, publicaron dos el mismo año. El que referencio es: Przybylski, A. K., & Weinstein, N. (2017). A large‐scale test of the goldilocks hypothesis: Quantifying the relations between digital‐screen use and the mental well‐being of adolescents. Psychological Science, 28...

Nov 21, 2019 · 1 like · 2,546 followers View post →
Luke M
@McWLuke · X

As with everything CCP related, sounds good but in reality: 15-year-olds who had a moderate amount of daily screen time reported better mental well-being compared to those who had very little (< 1-2 hours) or a lot (> 5-6 hours) of screen time each day. https://t.co/hG6AST938G https://t.co/CfOQgxewr4

Nov 5, 2019 · 2,689 followers View post →
Taylor LaBorde, MPH
@tmklaborde · X

2017 study suggests moderate sreen time can actually be beneficial for teen mental health. #publhlth791 @hawklake https://t.co/wBrnhTIAdM

Oct 29, 2019 · 4 likes · 58 followers View post →
Andreas Lieberoth
@lieberothdk · X

@jeppebundsgaard @StineLiv @MieOeh @EdelbergRasmus @SkoleForaeldre Der er god forskning, der peger på, at sammenfald med problemer, statistisk set findes i ekstremenderne. Nyt studie fandt fx også at det at *droppe af* SoMe kunne være et advarselstegn. Se særligt denne, hvor der kigges efter knæk og kvadartiske effekter https://t.co/8mskIWkI1T

Sep 27, 2019 · 1 like · 3,321 followers View post →
Pitt Behavioral Health, Media, & Tech
@PittHealthTech · X

Despite concerns about the relation between screen time and mental health, this study by @ShuhBillSkee finds factors such as week -end vs. -day use, and caregiver collaboration, as more significant to adolescent well-being than moderate screen time. https://t.co/NQHzWgrILS

Jul 15, 2019 · 2,132 followers View post →
Derek E. Baird
@derekeb · X

"People are making expansive claims about link between well-being & tech use, but if this was displayed on a Venn diagram, the circles would overlap one quarter of one percent." - Andrew Przybylski @ShuhBillSkee , Dir of Research @OIIOxford https://t.co/j8DZjeaVMr #ScreenTime

May 3, 2019 · 2 likes · 4,588 followers View post →
Shobhana (Shabana)
@shabanapanikar · X

RT @paulramchandani: Enjoyable morning train reading on screen use and health in adolescents from @ShuhBillSkee & Netta Weinstein - the Gol…

Mar 21, 2019 · 2 shares · 1,368 followers View post →
Nurtured Neurons
@NurturedNeurons · X

RT @paulramchandani: Enjoyable morning train reading on screen use and health in adolescents from @ShuhBillSkee & Netta Weinstein - the Gol…

Mar 21, 2019 · 2 shares · 557 followers View post →
Paul Ramchandani
@paulramchandani · X

Enjoyable morning train reading on screen use and health in adolescents from @ShuhBillSkee & Netta Weinstein - the Goldilocks hypothesis. Thoughtful, considered research https://t.co/95E5VaDqkV

Mar 21, 2019 · 11 likes · 2 shares · 4,544 followers View post →
yann leroux
@yannleroux · X

@the_english_way @SteMarais @bortzmeyer Przybylski, A.K., & Weinstein, N. (2017). A large-scale test of the goldilocks hypothesis: Quantifying the relations between digital screen use and the mental wellbeing of adolescents. Psychological Science, 28, 204-215.

Feb 10, 2019 · 8 likes · 12,997 followers View post →
Mudita
@wearemudita · X

"The findings inform recommendations for limiting adolescents’ technology use and provide a template for conducting rigorous investigations into the relations between digital technology and children’s ... health." Read more: https://t.co/OkS3qmMrtY #DigitalParenting #WeAreMudita

Jan 21, 2019 · 3,680 followers View post →
geeprombolo
@geeprombolo · X

RT @realsci_DE: "Overall, the evidence indicated that moderate use of digital technology is not intrinsically harmful and may be advantageo…

Jan 11, 2019 · 1 share · 174 followers View post →
Real Scientists DE
@realsci_DE · X

"Overall, the evidence indicated that moderate use of digital technology is not intrinsically harmful and may be advantageous in a connected world." Daten: Repräsentative Studie mit 120.115 Schülern in UK. (Przybylski & Weinstein, 2017). https://t.co/QPOQHLl6XD @ShuhBillSkee

Jan 10, 2019 · 25 likes · 1 share · 18,090 followers View post →