Scientific American: Psychology
From the Pages Activity

THE “GOLDILOCKS” LEVEL OF TEEN SCREEN USE

It pays to get the time spent on a device just right.

It’s a familiar lament: Teenagers are spending all their time on digital devices, and it’s wreaking havoc on their physical and mental health. But a study published in January in Psychological Science suggests a moderate level of use is not necessarily harmful—and may even be beneficial. The effect on well-being varies depending on the type of medium or device: TV and movies, video games, computers and smartphones, as well as the day of the week (weekday versus weekend). The optimal amount of exposure peaks at around one to two hours daily during the week and longer on weekends.

Limiting your teen’s screen time is fine, but consider the benefits before you pull the plug entirely.

Tanya Lewis. Reproduced with permission.

Copyright © 2017 Scientific American, a division of Nature America, Inc. All rights reserved.

Quiz

1According to the title, The “Goldilocks” Level of Teen Screen Use, the most appropriate explanation is a(n):
2The section on Social Media and Psychology cites that U.S. teens spend 9 hours per day using entertainment media. The Goldilocks Effect has found how many hours per day to be the “sweet spot” for teen use of smartphones?
3Which statement is accurate about the relationship between daily digital screen engagement and well-being?
4Which method of digital screen engagement has the shortest “sweet spot” for teen use?
5Which method of digital screen engagement can be used for the longest period of time before the mental well-being of teen’s decreases?
Activity Type Title

Chapter 1. Chapter 9

From the pages

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1.1 Quiz

1.

_max_tries:1 _feedback_correct: Correct. _feedback_incorrect: Incorrect.

According to the title, The “Goldilocks” Level of Teen Screen Use, the most appropriate explanation is a(n):

A.
B.
C.
D.

2.

_max_tries:1 _feedback_correct: Correct. _feedback_incorrect: Incorrect.

The section on Social Media and Psychology cites that U.S. teens spend 9 hours per day using entertainment media. The Goldilocks Effect has found how many hours per day to be the “sweet spot” for teen use of smartphones?

A.
B.
C.
D.

3.

_max_tries:1 _feedback_correct: Correct. _feedback_incorrect: Incorrect.

Which statement is accurate about the relationship between daily digital screen engagement and well-being?

A.
B.
C.
D.

4.

_max_tries:1 _feedback_correct: Correct. _feedback_incorrect: Incorrect.

Which method of digital screen engagement has the shortest “sweet spot” for teen use?

A.
B.
C.
D.

5.

_max_tries:1 _feedback_correct: Correct. _feedback_incorrect: Incorrect.

Which method of digital screen engagement can be used for the longest period of time before the mental well-being of teen’s decreases?

A.
B.
C.
D.