Academic burnout in the TikTok era: a battle between pleasure and concentration

TL;DR

This study explores how excessive use of short videos like TikTok affects students' attention and leads to academic burnout.

Contribution

The study introduces the concept of 'TikTok brain' and proposes a theoretical model linking it to attention decline and learning burnout.

Findings

The TikTok brain is significantly correlated with declined attention.

The TikTok brain is significantly correlated with learning burnout.

Declined attention mediates the relationship between the TikTok brain and learning burnout.

Abstract

The negative connection between short-video excessive usage habits and students’ learning is becoming increasingly prominent in the field of education. With the excessive use of short videos, a phenomenon known as the “TikTok brain” has emerged. However, the research on the “TikTok brain” variable and its understanding are still at the initial exploration stage. This study tries to propose seven research hypotheses and build a corresponding theoretical model based on the self-determination theory, attempting to explore the relationship and transmission path between the TikTok brain, declined attention, and learning burnout.

students are both the main users of short videos and the high-risk group for learning burnout. Therefore, this study collected 500 valid questionnaires to verify the above research hypotheses. Among them, there are 243 male students (48.6%) and 257 female students (51.4%).

(1) There is a significant positive correlation between the TikTok brain and declined attention; (2) The TikTok brain is also significantly positively correlated with learning burnout; (3) Declined attention plays an effective mediating role between the TikTok brain and learning burnout. This study concludes that the immediate satisfaction cognitive model formed by short-video excessive usage will further intensify students’ learning burnout through consuming their attention resources. This also provides an insight into educational practice. In the educational scenario, paying attention to guiding and intervening in students’ digital usage habits to help them cultivate and maintain a sustainable learning state is necessary.

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