Media fatigue
Psychological exhaustion from information overload across media.
Media fatigue is a form of psychological exhaustion resulting from information overload across various media, particularly news and social media. The Internet has amplified this phenomenon by making vast amounts of information easily accessible and disseminable. This exhaustion can lead to emotional instability, increased stress, feeling overwhelmed, or sensory overload, and may prompt media avoidance or selective media use.
Quick Facts
- Social media users worldwide
- around 3 billion
- Average attention span
- 8 seconds
Facts from the source article.
Political and news media
Repeated exposure to the same topic over a long period can cause psychological fatigue, characterized by negative emotions such as stress, overwhelm, strain, and sensory overload. Examples include coverage of COVID-19, Brexit, and climate change. Extensive coverage on a single topic can be mentally and physically draining, leading consumers to adopt avoidance strategies. For morally weighty topics, increased exposure can foster apathy, a phenomenon related to compassion fatigue. This fatigue can arise from broadcast news, political or humanitarian advertising, radio, newspapers, and social media. News avoidance involves efforts to steer clear of anxiety-inducing topics, such as crisis coverage.
Social media
Social media, used by around 3 billion people, can produce similar effects on fatigue and avoidance. Studies indicate that fast-paced social media use reduces attention spans, with reported averages as low as 8 seconds. Overconsumption leads to information overload and cognitive fatigue. Since many users access news on social networking sites alongside other updates, this can cause greater strain and psychological stress than traditional media. Unique factors like privacy concerns and self-disclosure add to the strain, requiring more monitoring of interactions and potentially increasing fatigue. During the COVID-19 pandemic, an online study in Lithuania found a rise in social media fatigue, as social media became the primary means of connection during quarantine, leading to overconsumption. Strategies to manage social fatigue include stepping away for non-technical activities such as painting, cooking, walking, or socializing; being more selective about usage by choosing one platform at a time; and taking breaks even when work revolves around social media, which can enhance creativity and productivity upon return.
Avoidance
Avoidance can occur during media selection, such as actively choosing one source over another, or during consumption, for example by changing the channel or tuning out. Tilo Hartmann suggests that avoidance behaviors help avoid cognitive dissonance when messages challenge existing beliefs; for instance, cognitive overtaxing can lead to ending TV exposure. Another perspective involves a cost-benefit analysis, where consumers weigh benefits against costs like money, time, physical and mental effort, and feelings of guilt, fear, irritation, or dissonance. Social media habits include selective avoidance, where users expose themselves only to specific topics and news. Filtering technologies present content that supports users' opinions, allowing more time on social media. Selective avoidance is a result of media fatigue, helping users prevent feeling overwhelmed by particular subjects.
Zoom fatigue
René Riedl defines Zoom fatigue as the tendency to avoid video conferencing software due to extensive overuse, a phenomenon that became prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic. The term, while referring to Zoom, applies to all video conferencing software used during the pandemic. Zoom became a significant part of daily life for students, teachers, employees, and managers. The shift from in-person to online interaction has been challenging, and learning and conversing through a screen has contributed to fatigue. Liz Fosslien and Millie West Duffy note that Zoom calls are draining because they force more focused attention to absorb information. Solutions include not multitasking to avoid diverting attention, scheduling breaks between calls for off-screen time, and shortening meetings when possible.
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