Your Life Unplugged (June 22nd - 29th June) a week amplifying young people’s voices in the conversation around smart phones and social media.
Life unplugged
The Social Experiment
The Social Experiment is a co-ordinated, evidence-based Digital Detox programme that challenges young people in schools to go smart phone free for 7 days, receiving a basic Nokia phone in place of their usual smartphone, with no access to social media for the duration of the project.
Throughout the digital detox, young people complete tailored self-reflection tasks, and activity logs to reinforce learning, generate new insights, and make concrete plans of action to take control of their own social media use.
Meet the team
Dr Lindsey Cameron
Dr Lindsey Cameron is Associate Professor in Psychology, at the University of Kent. Her research area is social development, including friendships and peer relations in person and online, with expertise in children’s understanding of equality and diversity, diverse friendships, bystander intervention in online bullying, and diversity and equality education programmes.
Meet the team
Dr Katie Goodbun
Dr Katie Goodbun is a lecturer and researcher in Social and Developmental Psychology at the University of Kent, with a research profile in applied psychology. Her published work spans educational psychology and prejudice reduction, with a primary focus on inter group relations in children and young people.
Key research interests include social exclusion, prejudice reduction, and the role of social media and screen use in young people’s social development. The author has an established record of working collaboratively with organisations to design and evaluate field -based research involving children, adolescents, and families.
Testimonials
Informed and engaged
Our school greatly benefitted from The Social Experiment with students exchanging their smartphones for basic brick phones for a week. The research team maintained clear and supportive communication throughout, both staff and students felt fully informed and engaged.
Mrs Katy Clarke – Senior Pastoral Lead, Simon Langton Girls Grammar School
Testimonials
Curious and excited
The Social Experiment was an experience our school to explore issues around phone use and mental health. 21 students in year 10 and 11 took part, 70% were girls. Although nervous about it, expressing concerns around FOMO and the daily coordination of their life, pupils were curious and excited about it.
Tim Fox – Head of the Academic Pillar and Langton Link, The Canterbury Academy Trust
Resources for parents
What YOU can do to support your child
Our research with young people has shown that 80.9% of young people think that parents should decide if under 16s should have social media.
Could you live without a smartphone for a week?
The Social Experiment, research run by Dr Lindsey Cameron and Dr Katie Goodbun at Kent’s School of Psychology asks students and their headteachers to swap their smartphones for dumbphones to see if they can they last a week. BBC met staff and students at the Canterbury Academy to find out more.
Are you struggling with any of the issues expressed here?
Our Mental Health Team offer support to all students experiencing psychological, emotional or mental health issues.
