Combatting Digital Addiction
Foreword
At TDL, our role is to translate science. This article is part of a series on cutting-edge research that has the potential to create positive social impact. While the research is inherently specific, we believe that the insights gleaned from each piece in this series are relevant to behavioral science practitioners in many different fields. As a socially conscious applied research firm, we are always looking for ways to translate science into impact. If you would like to chat with us about a potential collaboration, feel free to contact us.
Introduction
When was the last time you didn’t have your phone within reach? How many minutes does it take after you wake up to glance at your nearest screen? Technological addiction is worrisome, especially given the constraints on our lifestyles during the COVID pandemic, and the resulting dependence on digital communication that has ensued. To learn about how behavioral science might tackle this looming societal challenge, The Decision Lab reached out to Aditya Kumar Purohit, a behavioral scientist who studies digital nudges and marketing strategies.
Aditya is a doctoral assistant in Information Systems at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. He is also the founder of Nudges for Change, a platform for behavioral scientists to find nudge-related research. In his work as a behavioral change researcher, Aditya designs and tests interventions to investigate their impact on human choices and behaviors online. More specifically, he is interested in designing interventions to improve digital education, digital wellbeing, and online decision making. Previously, Aditya was an analyst at Amazon. He has supported many startups in planning and executing their digital marketing strategies by employing the principles of behavioral science. He holds an MSc in Marketing Research from Université Grenoble Alpes, France, and a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science from VTU, India.
A full version of the paper discussed in this piece is available at https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3334480.3382810
About the Authors
Aditya Purohit
Aditya is a doctoral assistant in Information Systems at University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. He is also the founder of Nudges for Change, a platform for behavioral scientists to find nudge-related research. In his work as a behavioral change researcher, Aditya designs and tests interventions to investigate their impact on human choices and behaviors online. More specifically, he is interested in designing interventions to improve digital education, digital wellbeing, and online decision making. Previously, Aditya was an analyst at Amazon. He has supported many startups in planning and executing their digital marketing strategies by employing the principles of behavioral science. He holds an MSc in Marketing Research from Université Grenoble Alpes, France, and a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science from VTU, India.
Nathan Collett
Nathan Collett studies decision-making and philosophy at McGill University. Experiences that inform his interdisciplinary mindset include a fellowship in the Research Group on Constitutional Studies, research at the Montreal Neurological Institute, a Harvard University architecture program, a fascination with modern physics, and several years as a technical director, program coordinator, and counselor at a youth-run summer camp on Gabriola Island. An upcoming academic project will focus on the political and philosophical consequences of emerging findings in behavioral science. He grew up in British Columbia, spending roughly equal time reading and exploring the outdoors, which ensured a lasting appreciation for nature. He prioritizes creativity, inclusion, sustainability, and integrity in all of his work.
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