Talk

Think Better with Adam Alter: Irresistible — The Rise of Screens and the War for Attention

Feb 2020 🇺🇸 University of Chicago Booth School of Business — Roman Family Center for Decision Research

In this Think Better Speaker Series talk hosted by the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Adam Alter presents 'Irresistible: The Rise of Screens and the War for Attention,' outlining three design mechanisms he associates with problematic screen use: the removal of natural stopping points such as auto-playing content, constant feedback through notifications and social rewards, and structured goal-setting that keeps users engaged. He describes behavioral addiction broadly as pursuing an immediately rewarding activity despite recognized costs to physical, mental, social, or financial wellbeing, and recommends concrete countermeasures — keeping devices out of bedrooms and classrooms and prioritizing unstructured time outdoors. TechKids Foundation includes this talk as a business-school-hosted academic presentation of Alter's design critique with explicit, classroom-relevant recommendations for parents and educators.

Three named design mechanisms

Alter's talk names three recurring drivers of screen overuse: removed stopping cues, constant feedback/rewards, and structured goal-setting.

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CITATION

"Think Better with Adam Alter: Irresistible — The Rise of Screens and the War for Attention." Roman Family Center for Decision Research, University of Chicago Booth School of Business, February 21, 2020. https://www.chicagobooth.edu/research/roman/stories/think-better-with-adam-alter

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