Julie Albright, a professor at the University of South Carolina, told Forbes that this is a psychological term called “random reinforcement.” Many social media platforms use a similar formula to keep users engaged. This makes it easier to fall into a loop of endless scrolling, searching for the next little dopamine hit.ĭr. Every time we see something we like, our brain produces a little hit of dopamine. Sometimes the TikTok algorithm shows us things we like, sometimes it doesn’t. What happens in your brain while scrolling through TikTok?Ī report by The Wall Street Journal likens TikTok to an “infinite candy store” for the brain and a “dopamine machine” that provides a flood of dopamine with every new video.
Is a TikTok addiction possible? Due to the novelty of the app, there aren’t any long-term studies that give a definite answer, but scientists are working to understand the allure of this viral app. Since the release of the app, people of all ages have reported feeling addicted to it - Forbes even referred to TikTok as “digital crack cocaine.” Since 2018, TikTok has been the most downloaded app in the world, even though the app was only released in 2017, according to CNET.
