Texas A&M study links workplace doomscrolling to lower engagement

Research led by Ian Hughes at Texas A&M University indicates that employees who engage in “doomscrolling”—the obsessive consumption of negative news on social media—suffer psychological costs that extend beyond simple lost productivity. The study, published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior, suggests that the primary issue is cognitive rather than just temporal.

Across studies conducted in the United States and the United Kingdom, researchers found that workers who doomscroll during the workday are prone to cognitive rumination. This involves mentally replaying distressing images and messages, which keeps the mind preoccupied and leads to significantly lower work engagement. This effect is particularly pronounced in individuals with higher levels of neuroticism.

While the habit is increasingly common among people aged 18 to 35 globally, researchers note that individuals often turn to these digital feeds as a way to soothe anxiety or make sense of uncertainty. Rather than implementing strict device bans, the findings suggest that managing where and when these habits occur may be more effective.