What does science say about the concept of friction-maxxing? Experts say there’s some merit to the idea that a little more friction could lead to some benefits.
“When life is too frictionless, your brain goes on autopilot, which can lead to decreased focus, memory, motivation, and overall effectiveness,” says Debra Kissen, PhD, a clinical psychologist and the founder of Light On Anxiety Treatment Centers in Chicago. Research into how technology — especially smartphones — affects people suggests that overly optimizing tasks with one-click buttons and automated activities, for example, may have negative health consequences.
Higher Smartphone Use May Lower Mood
It’s convenient to check tasks off your to-do list while commuting home on the train or waiting in line for groceries. But there may be a price to pay for all that screen time.
Indeed, the instant gratification and overstimulation served up by today’s digital platforms are linked to negative outcomes, including shorter attention spans, memory issues, lower self-esteem, and higher levels of anxiety and depression. One review analyzed 35 studies related to “brain rot,” a term that describes the deterioration of someone’s mood and cognitive abilities after they’ve consumed too much low-quality content online. The review suggested that excessive screen time may increase brain rot, and behaviors linked to brain rot (such as zombie scrolling) can have harmful ramifications for one’s mental and emotional well-being as well as self-esteem.
Ever-Present Smartphones May Lower Cognitive Capacity
Research has linked smartphone use with lower performance on attention, memory, and executive function tasks. Research has also found that the mere presence of a smartphone — even if the person wasn’t using it — had a negative impact on their ability to think, remember, and pay attention.
AI May Interfere With Critical Thinking Skills
A study of more than 660 people in the United Kingdom found that those who used AI-powered tools more often had lower critical thinking abilities, meaning they had a reduced ability to analyze and evaluate information to make informed decisions. The authors noted that these results agree with so-called cognitive offloading theories that the automation of tasks that require analytical thinking reduces the need for independent reasoning. The results were based on self-reported answers to survey questions, however, and more research is needed.
This makes sense if you think of your brain as a muscle that needs exercise, says Caryn Sherbet, a licensed psychotherapist based in Brooklyn, New York. In other words, when you offload thinking tasks to AI or other technology, it reduces the amount of exercise your brain gets, essentially making it weaker.
