Title: Social Media Zombies Did you have ever heard the term “zombie” and what it means? Discuss common characteristics of zombies in movies and literature. Listening Activity (15 minutes) Listening Practice: Play the audio clip titled “Zombies” from this resource. Students listen and take notes. Discussion Questions: 1. What information from the lecture did you find most interesting? 2. Do you like to watch zombie movies? Why or why not? 3. Why do some people enjoy watching movies that make them feel afraid? 4. Could a virus really turn humans into zombies? 5. What would you do if most people you know turned into zombies? 6. What three questions would you like to ask a zombie? Main Activity (20 minutes) Group Discussion: Divide students into pairs or small groups. Have them discuss the impact of social media on people’s lives. Encourage critical thinking and debate. Vocabulary Building: Introduce relevant vocabulary related to social media (e.g., privacy, addiction, influence, disconnection). Extension (10 minutes) Writing Task: Ask students to write a short paragraph about their own social media habits. Do they feel like “digital zombies”? Why or why not? The Scary Truth About How Zombie Scrolling Impacts Mental Health Their eyes are sunken, their skin is ashen, and they communicate with grunts rather than words. Only their thumbs move, endlessly, flicking up and down on the glowing rectangles clutched in their hands. Just a small part of their brain still works, and that part is entirely devoted to the images flashing before them, one after another. These are the creatures known as scroll zombies. Zombie Scrolling Syndrome is a term coined by the McAfee security company in 2016 to describe the effects of cell phone addiction. It’s defined as “mindless scrolling out of habit, with no real destination or benefit.” What Causes Zombie Scrolling? According to one estimate, in a single day, the average person scrolls through 300 feet of content—the height of the Statue of Liberty. What keeps us glued to our phones? Both psychological and neurobiological factors are at play. Our brains are primed to respond to social media, because it’s a type of variable reward system, explains Don Grant, PhD, Newport’s Director of Outpatient Services in Santa Monica. Like mice in a lab, constantly pulling a lever in hopes of receiving a treat that appears unpredictably, we keep scrolling in search of an online experience that will trigger a pleasurable release of dopamine. It’s the random nature of these rewards— whether they take the form of likes, positive feedback, or an ad or post that grabs us— that catalyzes the habitual behavior. Moreover, we tend to revert to that behavior when we find ourselves in moments that are uncomfortable, socially awkward, lonely, or boring. You’re sitting alone at a party, standing in line, or procrastinating something you’re anxious about. That’s when you feel the itch to do the “zombie check” and reach for your phone. Know the Facts 89% of college students experience moderate or severe anxiety and fear when they don’t have their phones with them. The Effect of Scrolling Syndrome on Mental Health “Real” zombies don’t have consciousness or emotions, but scroll zombies do. That’s what makes the inability to stop mindlessly scrolling so detrimental for their mental health. “For young people, the impact of what they’re seeing on social media can be extremely dysregulating, and the longer they do it, the more it’s going to impact them,” says Dr. Grant. “Scrolling does not imply simply watching something—emotions are attached and it is personal.” Dr. Grant uses the phrase “compare and despair” to describe the negative social comparison young adults engage in when scrolling through the apps. Facebook’s own research found that Instagram in particular—which is used by 71 percent of young adults, according to the Pew Research Center—negatively impacts mental health. That’s because the carefully curated, “perfect” images on the app elicit feelings of envy and inferiority. In addition to producing negative emotions, zombie scrolling syndrome also prevents us from engaging in positive IRL experiences, what Dr. Grant calls “organic bids for connection.” These are the opportunities for positive interactions and emotions that are happening around us all the time, but which we don’t notice when we’re glued to our phones. Moreover, the zombie state continues even after we stop mindlessly scrolling, manifesting as eye strain, brain fatigue (known as “brain rot”), difficulty focusing, a sense of emotional disconnection, and other phone addiction symptoms. DISCUSSION TOPICS?
