Addicted by Design: How Tech Manipulates Our minds

We are experiencing a digital age of innovation, and the most sought after commodity is the demand for our attention. Social media and mobile apps have grown and advanced far beyond their original purpose. Initially they may have been created as tools for communication and entertainment, nowadays, they have been designed with the intention to manipulate human psychology for profit. Using knowledge of Behavioral psychology to exploit the process of dopamine loops, tech companies have turned millions of unassuming users into addicts. By manipulating our rewards system with endless feeds to scroll, and tailored feeds to prolong engagement, tech companies have successfully secured a chokehold on our mental energies.

The dopamine loop is the key effect that lies at the root of this digital dependency. When users receive a notification, like a post, or watch a short video, their brain will automatically release dopamine. Dopamine is the chemical in your brain corresponding to pleasure and reward. According to Psychology today, Dopamine is explained as the feel-good neurotransmitter. It contributes to feelings of pleasure and satisfaction as part of the reward system. What makes it so addictive are the intermittent aspects of the process. These rewards are sporadic, therefore it creates an addictive cycle of anticipation and gratification. This cycle replicates that of a slot machine in a casino and is essentially what keeps the user coming back for more interaction. 

According to Dr. Susan Weinschenk, in Psychology Today, “When you bring up the feed on one of your favorite apps the dopamine loop has become engaged. With every photo you scroll through, headline you read, or link you go to you are feeding the loop which just makes you want more. It takes a lot to reach satiation, and in fact you might never be satisfied. It turns out the dopamine system doesn’t have satiety built in.”

Behavioral Psychology explains this tactic. Dr. Adam Alter, a social psychologist and the author of Irresistible corroborates. He explains that in order to keep users engaged, tech companies put their efforts into intentionally designing features that will manipulate users’ reward-seeking behavior. 

Valasys Media describes the design of the “infinite feed algorithm”, where the app preloads a certain amount of content in advance. It then loads additional content as the user approaches the end of the current batch. This process happens in the background, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted scrolling experience. This smooth transition eliminates natural stopping points, encouraging continued usage. The infinite feed algorithm leads to a process known as “doom scrolling”. The infinite scroll feature is an example of the manifestation of these strategies designed to keep us addicted.  

Tech companies can leverage lack of fulfillment and satiation by combining it with the implementation of the endless doom scroll feature. When someone is engaged in endless scrolling, while never experiencing satiation, their dopamine receptors are actively firing signals, creating a perfect recipe for dopamine addiction. This is how tech companies directly exploit our psychology using this endless scroll feature.

Another way Tech companies prolong engagement according to Valasys Media is through the algorithm. With features like personalized feeds, Instagram successfully removes natural stopping cues that trap users in an endless vortex of content. The algorithm factors in users likes and interactions, it is then used to push more content the user is likely to engage with. 

Apps like Instagram use algorithms to learn behavior and preferences. This advanced technology is designed to prolong time spent on the app. Where the endless scrolling feature isn’t quite enough to keep users involved, the algorithm tailoring content to each user will boost effectiveness in successfully trapping them.

This concept ties in with Facebook’s former president Sean Parker’s observation that the platform taps into “a vulnerability in human psychology” to keep users glued to their screens and the ad revenue rolling in. TikTok, however, takes this addictive design to an entirely new level. Its algorithm is so finely tuned that it keeps users scrolling endlessly, often for hours, without them even realizing it. 

TikTok specifically is an app that has risen to power in recent years in the media landscape. It’s purpose is basically to provide an unending stream of videos that trigger dopamine responses, creating a cycle that’s hard to break. Unlike traditional social media platforms that may require users to make choices with intention, whereas Tik Tok is more passive and very good at being never ending. This design essentially turns the app into some sort of digital drug. It lures users into a constant loop of instant gratification. This has very serious consequences, including heightened risks of anxiety, depression, sleep disruptions, and of course addiction. Excessive exposure to social media has heightened these problems—especially in adolescents. A 2019 study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that teens spending more than three hours daily on social media doubled their probability of developing symptoms of mental health issues and disorders.  

Teenagers are especially vulnerable to this epidemic, as was reported in a 2022 study by Common Sense Media. The report depicts that teens spend an average of seven hours daily on screens outside of schoolwork, much of that time on apps intentionally designed to exploit psychological behaviors and tendencies. While tech companies profit from this design, society is left dealing with the fallout, developing addictions even in today’s youth while tech companies line their pockets.

As users, we have a responsibility to make mindful choices, supporting platforms that prioritize ethical design and pushing for policies that safeguard our well-being. Digital literacy is important in today’s schooling, training children to be conscious users instead of passive victims. Technology will never be abandoned, but reshaping it to serve humanity rather than exploit it will be beneficial for society. In the era of rapid digital innovation and growth, it’s very important to recognize the difference between active engagement and psychological exploitation. Social Media companies are determined to erase this line, as we become a dopamine addicted generation. By studying media ethics, platforms and strategies we can be more aware of what is going on not only in the Tech industry, but our very own minds. We too, can observe our own behavioral psychology to reclaim our attention and to advocate for a more humane digital environment.