Tobias Dienlin

@tobiasdienlin.com

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Media Psychology & Communication | Privacy & Well-Being | Open Science & Slow Science | IKMZ & University of Zurich | https://tobiasdienlin.com

Open science in Communication: How are we doing? Abstract Communication has recently started a conversation on open science. In this narrative overview, I share perspectives on how the field of Communication is doing regarding the implementation of open science practices and principles, highlighting positive examples and suggesting missed opportunities. I discuss this process using the open science – science reform wheel, which differentiates 10 different principles and practices: transparency, accessible publishing, research process, research practices, public discourse, inclusion, research infrastructures, publication system, incentivization, and teaching and training. Although overall levels are still low, Communication has made substantial progress in terms of data sharing and preregistration. On the other hand, still no ICA journal has introduced the publication format of registered reports, which is a missed opportunity to reduce publication bias and to improve research quality.
AI’s greatest strength—removing friction from work and relationships—is also a liability. Prioritizing outcome over process, it eliminates desirable difficulties that drive growth. By subtracting effort from life, AI risks removing the struggles that teach us, the loneliness that connects us, and the labor that makes life meaningful.
Sehr geehrter Herr Haben Sie vielen Dank für Ihre Mail. Ich muss Ihnen für Ihre Anfrage leider absagen. Als Hintergrund: Ich bekomme sehr viele Anfragen, in welcher ich in der Rolle als Experte gebeten werde, den aktuellen Forschungsstand oder eine inhaltliche Fragestellungen zu bewerten. Gegenüber der Presse ist das ein gängiges und sinnvolles Verfahren, im Rahmen einer wissenschaftlichen Arbeit fällt es aber meiner Einschätzung nach in den eigenen Aufgaben- und Leistungsbereich. Liebe Grüsse Tobias Dienlin
Results of a random-intercept cross-lagged panel model specification curve analysis relating social media use and life satisfaction. (Left) Between-person correlations. (Center) Within-person effects of social media use on life satisfaction. (Right) Within-person effects of life satisfaction on social media use. Each point on the x axis represents a different combination of analytical decisions (i.e., life satisfaction domain, gender, number of waves, estimator, data imputation, and control variables). The “dashboard” depicts which gender and life satisfaction domain the specific combination of analytical decisions analyzed; the resulting ψ value (Left) or β value (Center and Right) is shown in the plot above (red indicates P > 0.05, black indicates P < 0.05). For the unabridged figure, including the complete set of analytic decisions and underlying code, see doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/4XP3V
Picture of Robert Habeck at UZH
Social Media Use and Adolescents’ Mental Health: What do we actually know? Guest Talk Media Psychology & Methods Division Monday, 03 November 2025 14.00 – 15.00, AND-3-23 Luisa Fassi is a Graduate Student with the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at University of Cambridge, UK Biography Luisa Fassi is a PhD researcher at the University of Cambridge, working across the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit and the Department of Psychiatry. Her doctoral research, which was recently recognised by the Psychology of Technology Dissertation Award, focuses on studying the relationship between social media use and adolescents' mental health. Abstract Mental health conditions affect one in seven adolescents globally, and social media has become a central part of young people’s daily lives. These parallel trends have sparked widespread concern, yet research linking social media use to youth mental health remains mixed and often lacks clinical relevance. In this lecture, I present findings from two complementary studies that aim to bridge this gap and inform both clinical and societal responses. The first is a pre-registered systematic review and meta-analysis that synthesizes 15 years of research on the relationship between social media use and internalising symptoms (e.g., depression, anxiety) in both community and clinical samples. The second study is a registered report that analyses a nationally representative UK sample to examine differences in social media use among adolescents with and without mental health conditions. Unlike most studies that rely on single-questionnaire assessments, this study integrates clinical diagnoses made by professional raters based on multi-informant interviews. Together, these findings highlight the need for more targeted psychoeducation, clinical assessments, and interventions that reflect adolescents’ diverse lived experiences when it comes to social media use.
Biography Laurent Wang is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His research focuses on the social and psychological uses and effects of information communication technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence, social media). Specifically, he uses quantitative and qualitative methods to study how people 1) negotiate online privacy decisions and 2) navigate digital inequalities challenges in the constantly-shifting technological landscape. He has published in flagship journals such as Communication Research, Communication Monographs, New Media & Society, Information, Communication & Society, and Journal of Advertising. He has received prestigious research awards such as the James J. Bradac Award and the Steven H. Chaffee Award for Excellence in Research. His research activities have been supported by various external (e.g., the National Science Foundation, Washington Media Scholars Foundation, and the International Communication Association) and internal funding sources (e.g., UCSB’s African and Asian Students in STEM program). Abstract The rapid advancement of digital technologies presents significant challenges for individuals seeking to safeguard their personal information and effectively navigate the digital environment. This talk addresses these challenges by drawing from psychological, structural, and ecological perspectives. Insights from three research projects highlight that privacy management and digital inequality are not merely matters of individual choice, but are also embedded in broader sociotechnical contexts. The talk concludes by outlining future theoretical and practical directions for understanding and addressing the intertwined issues of technology, privacy, and inequality in the digital society.
Five central claims of Jonathan Haidt: 1. Well-being, particularly depression, is deteriorating. 2. Social media negatively impacts youth well-being. 3. Social networking sites are more harmful than messaging apps. 4. Effects are more harmful for girls. 5. Effects are more harmful for younger users.
Abstract: What impact do people think social media has on their well-being? To answer this question, we adopted a global perspective, analyzing 7.1 million observations from 191,672 users across 182 countries. Users believed social media had a small but negative impact on their well-being: Whenever respondents felt that social media affected their current well-being, their well-being in that moment was reduced by 2% compared with their average. The size of this perceived effect differed across users and countries. Whereas people in several northeastern regions, such as Russia and Kazakhstan, believed social media benefited their well-being, negative perceived effects appeared most prominently in the Anglosphere (United Kingdom, United States, New Zealand), Scandinavia, and parts of South America (Chile, Argentina). Other activities showed stronger effects on well-being, such as listening to music (plus 8%), relaxing (plus 6%), health issues (minus 8%), or studying (minus 7%), which suggests that the negative effects of social media use are comparatively small. Male participants reported significantly more negative effects compared with female and gender-diverse participants. Differences also emerged across age groups, with younger generations reporting more negative effects. In conclusion, according to users across the world, social media has a negative but small perceived impact on their well-being.
Picture of the globe with countries colored according to the effect size of social media use on well-being.
Figure displaying a coefficient plot with 95% CIs of activities and their self-reported effects on well-being.
image of the app. On the left hand side, people can indicate how they feel with a slider. They could then select what made them feel this way.
Picture from the website of the app VOS.health
1. The general effects of digital technology use on well- being are likely in the negative spectrum, but very small—potentially too small to matter. 2. No screen time is created equal; different uses will lead to different effects. 3. Digital technology use is more likely to affect short-term positive or negative affect than long-term life satisfaction. 4. The dose makes the poison; it appears that both low and excessive use are related to decreased well-being, whereas moderate use is related to increased well-being. 5. Adolescents are likely more vulnerable to effects of digital technology use on well-being, but it is important not to patronize adolescents—effects are comparable and adolescents not powerless. 6. The current empirical research has several limitations: high-quality studies with large-scale samples, objective measures of digital technology use, and experience sampling of well-being are still missing.