In the onlife world of instant communication and social media, adults and youth are constantly being bombarded with emails, text messages, images, and videos that often carry an urgent tone that provokes fear and panic. These messages create a psychological pretext that convinces us that immediate action is necessary. As parents and teenagers navigate today’s onlife world, it’s crucial to understand the underlying psychology of urgent messages and how to approach them critically before responding or clicking any link provided.
Urgency in digital messages plays on our emotions, triggering a sense of imminent importance. Whether it’s a video urging immediate action, a text claiming a looming threat, or an email insisting on an instant response, these messages are crafted to evoke a strong emotional response. They aim to create a sense of urgency, compelling us to react quickly. It’s the digital bait designed to capture its intended target.
These urgent messages often tap into our innate fear responses, activating a person’s fight, flight, freeze response. These messages can provoke anxiety, stress, and even panic, especially in younger individuals who may be more susceptible to these emotional triggers. The constant exposure to such messages can lead to a heightened state of emotional stress and an inability to critically assess the situation before acting.
So, what can teens do?
- When faced with an urgent message, take a moment to pause. Resist the immediate emotional reaction. Ask yourself, “Is this truly urgent? What evidence supports this claim?”
- Check the credibility of the source. Reliable information usually comes from trusted sources with factual evidence to support their claims. Question messages from unknown or suspicious sources (1).
- Instead of immediately reacting, consider alternative perspectives or sources of information. Look for a variety of viewpoints to gain a more balanced understanding. Pause, evaluate, and choose before you click on any link or respond to any message.
- If uncertain, discuss the message with a trusted adult—a parent, teacher, or mentor. Seek their guidance and input to decipher the credibility of the information.
What Can Parents Do?
- Foster an environment that encourages critical thinking. Discuss the importance of verifying information and the potential impact of urgent messages on mental well-being.
- Create an open dialogue where teens feel comfortable discussing the messages they receive. Encourage them to ask questions and express their concerns without judgment.
- Educate your teens about digital literacy, helping them distinguish between credible sources and misinformation. Guide them on how to fact-check and validate information.
- Establish guidelines for screen use and digital interactions. Help teens find a balance between being connected and taking breaks from digital stimuli.
The increasing prevalence of urgent messages in digital communication requires a cautious and critical approach, especially for teens who are more susceptible to emotional manipulation. By recognizing how these messages play on our emotions and trigger innate fear responses, both parents and teenagers can equip themselves with the tools needed to respond critically.
Encouraging teens to pause, question, seek guidance, and explore alternative perspectives when faced with urgent messages, and guiding them in digital literacy, ensures they approach online content with an informed and critical eye. Similarly, fostering an environment that encourages open dialogue and critical thinking, setting boundaries for digital engagement, and emphasizing the importance of verified sources are fundamental in aiding young individuals to navigate this onlife landscape responsibly.
Together, by fostering a culture of digital literacy and open communication, parents and teens can form a united front against the undue influence of panic-inducing tactics by bad actors in today’s onlife world (2).
Digital Food For Thought
The White Hatter
Resources:
2/ https://thewhitehatter.ca/blog/a-transformational-approach-to-parenting-in-todays-onlife-world/
