Escaping the Infinite Scroll Void: Why Your Thumb Keeps Going (and How to Stop)
Meet the 'Slot Machine' in Your Pocket As you sit on the couch, your thumb autonomously flicks upwards on the screen. What initially promised to be a two-minute break to catch up on the news or check a friend's post mysteriously transforms into a 30-minute deep dive into your TikTok For You Page. Welcome to the world of the infinite scroll, a design so cleverly addictive, it turns our smartphones into the slot machines in our pockets. Why does this happen? Much of the blame lies with the 'pull-to-refresh' feature of many social media platforms, a mechanism that closely mimics the addictive gamble of a slot machine. Each pull (or swipe) may bring forth new rewards—like fresh texts, updated status, or more likes. This element of unpredictability serves as the hook, casting similar spells as those found in gambling and gaming, where the anticipation of reward keeps the user engaged and continually pulling the lever—or in this case, scrolling the feed [1] . The appe...