Traversing the multifaceted domain of digital design and its influence on adolescent mental health, this thesis examines the ethical challenges of designing digital interfaces and the psychological effects of digital media on young users.
With adolescents increasingly absorbed in the digital world, this research provides a vital study of how user interface design techniques such as continuous scrolling and gamification influence young minds. The guiding research questions are:
How is smartphone addiction among adolescents described in the existing literature?
What are the leading causes of this addiction?
How do social media platforms affect the mental well-being of adolescents?
What role does dopamine play in the allure of smartphone applications?
How successful are existing mediation and coping mechanisms?
How do tech design choices affect the behavior of adolescent users, and what are the arguments for incorporating Value-Sensitive Design (VSD) into the design principles?
How can shared accountability be focused on safeguarding the well-being of adolescents?
RATIONALE
There is a pressing need to understand the ethical implications of digital design for adolescents, a demographic highly influenced by technological advancements. As digital apps continue to permeate our daily lives, the possibility that these tools might trigger addictive behaviors in adolescents has become a vital concern. This problem requires a thorough examination due to its significant impact on the next generation’s mental health, academic performance, and social development.
The study’s main objectives include a broad assessment of the digital design tactics predominant in today’s apps, such as perpetual scrolling and gamification, particularly in their appropriateness for adolescents. Recognizing that these design methods may manipulate the dopamine-driven behavior of adolescents, the study seeks to appraise the balance between creating engaging digital interfaces and protecting the mental health of young users. Moreover, the research aims to fill a gap in the prevailing literature by delivering a broad analysis of how these digital design elements specifically affect the adolescent brain and contribute to addictive behaviors.
The central goal of this thesis is to encourage more ethical and mindful design practices in the tech domain that will prioritize adolescents’ mental and emotional health, thereby balancing tech advances with the well-being of future generations.
STAKEHOLDERS
The graphic designer is the primary audience described in the research problem and purpose statement. The designer is tasked with understanding best practices and balancing the space between the client’s desires and the well-being of the adolescent end-user. The designer should be trained in value-sensitive design and reflect best practices in these areas. In the past, the design community was responsible for convincing clients to design accessibility into their applications for an aging population; they should now take the leadership position regarding age-appropriate adolescent-focused design principles. This puts designers in the center of the persona target map and makes them the primary stakeholders.
New design principles will also affect secondary and tertiary stakeholders: parents, clients, users, politicians, and community groups. They are essential to reinforcing the message and supporting the initiative.
Image Credit
“Research: Group of Teenagers on Smartphone One Separated and Alone.” Unsplash. 14 April 2023, https://unsplash.com/photos/attractive-teenage-student-girl-sitting-on-stone-steps-with-her-friends-in-front-of-university-holding-smart-phone-reading-or-watching-something-56sSN499PdE.
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