Screen Deep

The rise of influencers has changed the conversation around advertising, marketing, and behavior change in adults as well as children. How do influencers and their sponsored content impact children’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry interviews Dr. Liselot Hudders, Professor of Marketing Ethics at Ghent University, to unpack her research on how influencing works, why influencers produce content aimed at youth, what children understand about dig...

Many people think of mental health disorders as arising later in childhood or adolescence. However, there is increasing evidence that even young children can experience mental health problems like anxiety and depression. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry is joined by Joan Luby, a Professor of Child Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine and an expert in early childhood mental health. Dr. Luby discusses how to identify mental health problems in preschool-aged chil...

How are screen-based reading and writing, along with the growing use of generative AI by youth, shaping children’s development of foundational literacy skills? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry explores these nuanced questions with Dr. Naomi Baron, Professor Emerita of Linguistics at American University and a leading expert on reading and writing with technology. Dr. Baron outlines how reading and writing look differently on screens versus print, and what students think about th...

Boredom is a common and frequently misunderstood psychological state for adults and children alike. On this episode, host Kris Perry goes deep with leading boredom researcher James Danckert, PhD, a Professor of Neuroscience at University of Waterloo. Dr. Danckert explains the unique neural state of boredom, dispels both positive and negative myths about it, and explains how boredom is distinct from other feelings. Sharing research that indicates boredom is on the rise, Dr. Danckert delves int...

Rapid advances in artificial intelligence systems continue to be deployed rapidly for use in commonly available tools online. How do today’s AI technologies affect children’s development? Will accessible AI tools erode children’s critical thinking skills? Will chatbots disrupt children’s ability to socialize properly? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry explores these timely questions with Dr. Ying Xu, Assistant Professor of AI in Learning and Education at Harvard Graduate S...

Social media platforms are feeding youth harmful content—fast. From hate speech to pro-eating disorder posts and disinformation, powerful algorithms push dangerous content straight to children. But why? And what can be done to stop it? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry talks with Imran Ahmed, founder and CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, about the hidden dangers of social media algorithms, the risks youth face on various popular platforms, and the urgent need ...

How has social media changed the way teens socialize and interact - and is it affecting their mental health? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry sits down with researcher and Chief of Psychology of the American Psychological Association Mitch Prinstein, PhD, ABPP. Dr. Prinstein describes his research on popularity and likeability in adolescence, and how social media factors into these social dynamics. He also explores how certain aspects of social media, such as social compariso...