Quizzes

Are you addicted to the internet?

Adam Alter's Irresistible looks at our obsession with the internet; the science of why we can’t stop checking, scrolling, clicking and watching. But how addicted are you?

06 March 2017
Irresistible

  • Irresistible

  • Almost half of the developed population has an internet-based addiction. In some ways this is not surprising, as our world is filled with addictive experiences: from social media and messaging, to rolling news and video streaming. Attention spans are decreasing as our time spent glued to our screens are increasing, negatively affecting our ability to relax, sleep, develop relationships and achieve meaningful goals. Psychologist Adam Alter provides insight into why explains the science behind why we can't seem to stop such behaviour and offers practical advice for using technology differently, in order to lead a happier life, and to set yourself free.

    ‘This examination of today’s tech-zombie epidemic is worth putting your phone down for’ Guardian
    'Essential reading... Regain control of your time, finances and relationships'

    Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit

  • Buy the book

Adam Alter

Adam Alter is an Associate Professor at New York University's Stern School of Business, and holds an affiliated appointment within the Psychology Department. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller Drunk Tank Pink: And Other Unexpected Forces That Shape How We Think, Feel and Behave and has written for The New York Times, New Yorker, Atlantic, Wired, Popular Science and numerous other publications.

Adam Alter

Related articles

/content/dam/prh/articles/archive/hello-world-snippet.jpeg

Features

Can crime be predicted by an algorithm?

Can police use an algorithm to catch criminals, or even predict where a crime will occur? Mathematician and author of Hello World, Hannah Fry, looks at the possible uses of algorithms in law enforcement.
/content/dam/prh/articles/archive/children-archive/puffin/dollars_snippet_788x306.jpg

Extracts

How to Turn Down a Billion Dollars by Billy Gallagher

At 23-years-old Evan Spiegel, co-founder of Snapchat, turned down three-billion dollars. Here, author Billy Gallagher takes us inside the start-up's fascinating rise.

Our Use of Cookies

We use cookies on this site to enable certain parts of the site to function and to collect information about your use of the site so that we can improve our visitors’ experience.

For more on our cookies and changing your settings click here

Strictly Necessary

Strictly Necessary cookies enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility. You may disable these by changing your browser settings, but this may affect how the website functions. See More.

Analytics

Analytics cookies help us to improve our website by collecting and reporting information on how you use it. These cookies may be set by us or by third-party providers whose services we have added to our pages. See More.

Preferences & Features

Preference and Feature cookies allow our website to remember choices you make, such as your language preferences and any customisations you make to pages on our website during your visit. See More.

Targeting / Advertising

Targeting cookies are used to make advertising messages more relevant to you and your interests. They perform functions like preventing the same content from reappearing, ensuring ads are displayed and, in some cases, selecting content based on your interests. See More.