Understand digital wellbeing through cyberpsychology
Screen Sense explores how gaming, social media and digital technology influence attention, habits, wellbeing and everyday life.
Discover clear, accessible information about digital behaviour, practical tools for understanding digital habits and self-paced courses that explore the psychology behind the way we use technology.
Drawing on cyberpsychology, health psychology and behavioural science, Screen Sense translates research into meaningful insights that help adults and young people (16+) understand the relationship between people and technology.
Thanks for visiting Screen Sense! I’m Neal, a former professional gamer known as Mirage. I competed internationally, spending thousands of hours in digital environments where focus, performance and screen time were everything.
That experience gave me a front-row view of how powerful digital systems are and how difficult it can be to disengage from them once they become part of daily life.
If you’ve ever felt pulled too far into the screen or wondered why this happens, this is a place to understand the psychology behind it and what can be done next.
Neal Thompson
Digital Psychology Specialist
MSc Health Psychology
Former professional gamer (Mirage)
Founder of Screen Sense
MSc Health Psychology, University of Auckland
Digital Psychology Specialist
Certified Health and Wellness Coach
25 years in digital product leadership
Former professional gamer (Mirage)
Cyberpsychology focuses on how human behaviour, thoughts and emotions are influenced by digital technology including interactions with the internet, social media, online gaming, virtual reality and AI. It explores online identity, cyberbullying, digital addiction and the psychological impact of immersive technology, bridging traditional psychology with the digital world. These insights inform practical strategies and tools to help people manage their digital habits and wellbeing.
We all have our favourite ways to scroll, game or watch online content. Over time, these habits can quietly drain your energy, scatter your focus and affect your wellbeing.
76% of people believe they spend “too much” time on their phones. Of all the adults surveyed, 40% are spending five or more hours on their phone each day and 20% are spending seven or more. Average screen time is five hours. 74% of people who have tried to reduce their screen time struggle to do so.
BePresentThe amount of time kids’ spend online worried 75% of parents and is the number one worry. Yet, 50% (of parents) said they spent too much time on their own devices, and 66% admit to relying on screens as a bargaining chip to distract children.
nib SurveyWe find that 15% of 15 year olds report using the internet for more than 6 hours per day on a weekday outside of school. Once daily internet use (on weekdays outside of school) exceeds about two hours, we find no positive association of internet use and wellbeing.
Motu Economic and Public Research Policy
Problematic internet use can show up in various ways. Take our free, anonymous self-assessment quiz to see if reducing your screen time could be helpful.
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Stay up to date with the latest media coverage on digital wellbeing from around the world. We bring together important stories about screen time, online behaviour and healthier tech habits.
The latest research on Internet Addiction (IA) and Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). This research highlights the importance of managing screen time.
View video interviews, documentaries, panels and talks that explore screen-time balance — from real-world stories to expert insights.
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Each book offers a different lens on digital wellbeing: whether you’re curious about the brain’s reward system, the impact of social media, or self-regulation in the digital era.
Guest speaker bookings are available at your next event, podcast or webinar on a range of digital wellbeing related topics.
The amount our kids use technology, including social media, is the number one worry for 70% of New Zealand parents, according to the latest State of the Nation Parenting Survey from NIB. Now get this stat: 50% of parents admit they are addicted to their own devices.
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Hundreds of millions of dollars of grants go to community groups every year from gambling, including pokies, Lotto and casinos – but legal online casinos wouldn’t have to, under new government plans. Steve Kilgallon reports.
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Although many youth may not be harmed by heavy SMU, distressed youth may be particularly vulnerable. The aim of this study was to experimentally examine the effects of reducing SMU on smartphones on symptoms of depression, anxiety, fear of missing out (FoMO), and sleep in youth with emotional distress. Compared to the control group, the intervention group showed significantly greater reductions in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and FoMO, and greater increases in sleep.
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A Los Angeles jury has handed down an unprecedented win for a young woman who sued Meta and YouTube over her childhood addiction to social media. Jurors found that Meta, which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, and Google, owner of YouTube, intentionally built addictive social media platforms that harmed the 20-year old's mental health.
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The Australian government has announced it will double the maximum penalty for breaches of the nation's social media minimum age law to $99m (£51.7m). As part of the updated legislation, the eSafety Commissioner will also be able to compel social media companies to provide evidence of what steps they have taken to comply with the ban.
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