Short Wave

Why you can't stop scrolling: the science of 'dark flow'

June 1, 2026·12 min·4-min readnarrativescience
Podzilla Summary (4 min)
TLDR
Social media apps are designed with psychological features that mimic addictive gambling machines, creating a 'dark flow' state that traps users in endless scrolling. Understanding this 'super glue recipe' reveals how tech companies exploit human cognition to maximize engagement.


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Guest

M

Michaeleen Doucleff

narrative on Short Wave

Mentions

Books, people, and resources mentioned in this episode.

People

Michaeleen DoucleffEmily KwongNatasha Dow SchullJonathan MorrowMateusz GolaMihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Books

Dopamine Kidsby Michaeleen Doucleff

Companies

MetaGoogle

Topics

AddictionLong Form JournalismMental HealthNeuroscienceParenting

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