Modern professionals often feel that their digital lives and stress levels are inextricably linked. A constant stream of notifications, emails, and news updates can create a sense of being overwhelmed. However, it remains unclear whether internet use drives stress or if stressed individuals simply use the internet differently. Researchers at Aalto University in Finland designed an investigation to separate assumption from evidence.
Their objective was to determine how specific types of online behavior associate with perceived stress. They sought to move beyond general screen time metrics to understand the specific impact of activities like shopping, social media, and news consumption. The findings from this investigation were published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
Identifying the Knowledge Gap
Mohammad Belal, a doctoral researcher, and Juhi Kulshrestha, an assistant professor at Aalto University, led the investigation. They identified a significant limitation in previous studies regarding digital well-being. Most prior research relied on self-reported data. In these traditional studies, participants estimated their own internet usage.
Human memory is often flawed. People frequently underestimate the time they spend on social media or overestimate their productivity. This reliance on subjective memory created a gap in the scientific understanding of how digital behaviors impact psychological health. The Aalto University team aimed to close this gap by utilizing objective, observed behavioral data.
To understand the study, it is helpful to understand the “Perceived Stress Scale,” or PSS-10. This is a widely used psychological tool where individuals rate their feelings of unpredictability and lack of control. The researchers used this scale to establish a baseline for how stressed a participant felt, which could then be compared against their actual digital footprints.
Tracking Real-World Behavior
The research team designed a longitudinal observational study. This means they observed the same group of people over an extended period rather than taking a single snapshot. The study ran for seven months and involved 1,490 adult internet users in Germany.
The methodology involved two distinct streams of data collection. First, the researchers installed tracking software on the participants’ desktop computers and mobile devices. This software passively recorded which websites and applications the participants visited, when they visited them, and for how long. The researchers emphasized that they used rigorous data cleaning to ensure privacy and accuracy.
Second, the team administered the PSS-10 questionnaire to these same participants once a month. This allowed the researchers to capture fluctuations in stress levels over time. By combining these datasets, the team could analyze associations between specific categories of internet use and the participants’ self-reported mental states.
Categorizing Online Activity
The researchers did not look at the internet as a single entity. They classified web visits into semantic categories. These included social media, entertainment, shopping, news, productivity, and adult content. They then applied linear mixed-effects models to the data. This statistical approach allowed them to account for individual differences and spot trends across the population.
The Link Between Shopping and Stress
One of the most distinct findings involved online shopping. The analysis showed a consistent positive association between shopping and higher stress levels. Participants who spent more time on shopping sites and apps reported higher levels of perceived stress.
This trend was visible across multiple demographic groups. It was particularly strong in data collected from mobile devices. The study noted that this association might exist because people use shopping as a coping mechanism when they feel overwhelmed. Conversely, it is possible that the act of shopping itself contributes to financial anxiety or decision fatigue.
Social Media and Entertainment
The study also examined entertainment and social media consumption. For participants who were already categorized as “high-stress” individuals, increased time on social media was linked to a further rise in stress scores. The data showed that for these individuals, time spent on social media was twice as likely to be linked to stress compared to time spent gaming.
Younger adults showed a different pattern regarding entertainment. In the age group of 30 to 45 years, increased use of entertainment apps and sites was linked to higher stress. This suggests that turning to streaming services or videos might be a response to stress for this demographic.
The Productivity Paradox
The researchers observed a different pattern when analyzing “productivity” tools, such as email clients and document editors. Increased use of these tools was associated with lower stress levels. This relationship was notably present in the age group of 31 to 45 years.
This finding creates a counter-intuitive picture. One might assume that spending time on work-related tasks leads to burnout. However, the data suggests a process where stressed individuals may disengage from work. When stress rises, people might avoid productivity apps. Conversely, when stress is low, engagement with work tasks appears to normalize or increase.
News Consumption and Adult Content
The analysis regarding news consumption offered another contrast to common assumptions. Participants who spent more time on news sites generally reported lower stress levels. This association held true for both mobile and desktop users.
Belal noted that this finding aligns with the “avoidance” theory. “Somewhat surprisingly, people who spent a lot of time on news sites reported less stress than others,” Belal said. “On the other hand, those who already experienced a lot of stress didn’t spend much time on news sites.”
Regarding adult content, the study found a negative association with stress. Users who consumed adult entertainment reported lower stress levels. The researchers posited that this type of content is often consumed in short bursts and may function as a temporary release for tension or boredom.
Demographic and Device Distinctions
The study revealed that the device used matters. Mobile usage was more frequently associated with high stress than desktop usage. The researchers suggested this may be due to the fragmented, constant nature of mobile interaction compared to the focused sessions typical of desktop use.
Demographic factors also played a substantial role. Women consistently reported higher stress levels than men. Higher income and older age were both linked to lower overall stress. For high-income earners, however, online shopping remained a predictor of stress, similar to the general population.
Actionable Insights for Business
These findings offer several practical implications for business leaders and platform designers.
First, the strong link between mobile usage and stress suggests a need for better digital hygiene in professional settings. Managers might consider that constant connectivity via mobile devices could be a contributing factor to employee strain. Encouraging desktop-based workflows for complex tasks might alleviate the fragmentation that characterizes mobile usage.
Second, the data regarding productivity apps suggests that a drop in digital engagement with work tools is a potential red flag. If an employee’s activity on standard productivity platforms decreases, it may not indicate laziness but rather a stress response or avoidance behavior. Leaders can view this as a signal to check in on the employee’s well-being.
Third, for designers of e-commerce and social platforms, the data indicates that heavy usage correlates with user distress. While high engagement metrics are typically a business goal, they may come at a cost to user health. There is an opportunity for platforms to introduce features that support user well-being, such as usage insights or break reminders.
Directions for Future Research
This study establishes strong associations, but it does not prove causality. The researchers cannot yet say definitively if scrolling causes stress or if stress causes scrolling. Kulshrestha highlighted this ongoing challenge. “Are people more stressed because they are spending more time online shopping or on social media, or are such sites offering them an important support in times of duress?” she asked.
Future investigations will need to unravel this “chicken and egg” problem. The Aalto team plans to examine the specific content consumed within these categories. For example, they intend to analyze whether political news impacts stress differently than sports or entertainment news.
The researchers also emphasize that broad restrictions on internet use might be ineffective. Since some online activities appear to function as coping mechanisms, removing them without addressing the root causes of stress could be counterproductive. Future studies will likely focus on distinguishing between healthy coping strategies and harmful digital habits.
