My fifth hack builds significantly on my first hack of short-form content consumption and its psychological effects, but takes a more interactive dive into addressing the physiological neglect that can result from digital addiction. Inspired by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, I focus specifically on the foundational, physiological needs – hydration, nourishment, and rest – that often go ignored during extended sessions of media consumption.
In my first hack, I considered short-form platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts, exploring their addictive characteristics as described by Xie et al. in their research on short-form video addiction. I previously connected this to Roger Caillois’s concept of Alea from his taxonomy of games, drawing parallels between random reinforcement seen in gambling and the mechanics of endless scrolling. These early explorations framed digital scrolling as passive, compulsive behavior.
In my alpha iteration, I attempted to leverage this addictive nature toward health-conscious behavior. By creating a physical interaction through a MakeyMakey and a water cup, scrolling required users to hydrate – completing an electrical circuit to trigger the next video. This simple interaction introduced a mindful break into an otherwise passive experience.
While this initial hack proved to be conceptually intriguing, it only addressed one facet of self-care – hydration. Recognizing the limitations of this first approach, I aimed to significantly expand my beta iteration by encompassing a more comprehensive range of physiological needs.
This hack includes three distinct physical interactions designed explicitly to address hydration, hunger, and energy:
Hydration: I maintained my original method, a water cup connected to the MakeyMakey via an alligator clip. Drinking water completes a circuit, prompting the next video to appear.
Energy: To symbolize rest, I incorporated a napkin layered with aluminum foil attached to the MakeyMakey. Touching one’s mouth with this napkin pauses the video (shortcut key K), enforcing a mindful moment of rest from constant digital stimuli.
Hunger: The third interaction involves using a fork connected to the MakeyMakey. Touching the fork to one’s mouth completes the circuit and inputs a “like” to the current video (shortcut key L, utilizing a YouTube shortcut Chrome extension), metaphorically connecting engagement with nourishment.
To further strengthen the user’s awareness and interaction with their physiological state, I developed a Chrome extension that visually gamifies these needs. The extension displays three interactive progress bars for hydration, hunger, and energy, which diminish over time as users consume short-form videos. Each physical interaction replenishes the corresponding meter, creating a feedback loop that highlights bodily needs, prompting users to maintain their homeostasis, so to speak.
Further, informed by the embodied interaction theory explained by Paul Dourish, my hack emphasizes how physical interactions can foster mindfulness and heightened self-awareness. In addition, it employs B.F. Skinner’s principles of behavioral psychology, harnessing positive reinforcement techniques to recondition “doom scrolling” toward healthier outcomes.
Overall, my fifth hack synthesizes various psychological frameworks into an experience that encourages users to evaluate their relationship with technology. By transforming the compulsive act of scrolling into purposeful, health-conscious behavior, I aim to disrupt passive habits and promote a mindful integration of digital and physiological well-being.
References:
Caillois, Roger. “Man, Play, and Games.” University of Illinois Press, 2001.
Dourish, Paul. “Where the Action Is: The Foundations of Embodied Interaction.” MIT Press, 2001.
Xie, Jin et al. “The effect of short-form video addiction on undergraduates’ academic procrastination: a moderated mediation model.” Frontiers in psychology vol. 14 1298361. 15 Dec. 2023, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1298361
Chrome Extension: https://github.com/yodering/hack5
