OII | Professor Andrew Przybylski

Profile Contents

About
Positions at the OII
Contact
Research
News & Press
Recordings

About

Andrew K. Przybylski is the Professor of Human Behaviour and Technology at the University of Oxford. Professor Przybylski investigates how online social media and video games platforms shape human motivation and influence the health and well-being of their users.

In acknowledgement of his scientific and policy achievements, he was recently appointed as an Honorary Professor at The Educational University of Hong Kong’s Centre for Psychosocial Health, where he is working to build mutually beneficial relationships between the students and faculty of both institutions.

His undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral degrees were earned at the University of Rochester in the United States.

Areas of Interest for Doctoral Supervision

Digital well-being, online platform data donation, online trace data, online victimisation, social media, video games and mental health.

Research Interests

Human motivation, mental health, open science, meta science

Positions at the OII

Professor of Human Behaviour and Technology, August 2022 -
Director of Research, March 2018 - April 2022
Associate Professor, July 2017 - August 2022
Senior Research Fellow, December 2016 - August 2022
Research Fellow, September 2013 - December 2016

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Contact

andy.przybylski@oii.ox.ac.uk

bsky.app/profile/shuhbillskee.bsky.social

Papers

ORCID

Research

Publications

Notable Publications

Mansfield, K.L., Ghai, S., Hakman, T., Ballou, N., Vuorre, M. and Przybylski, A.K. (2025) “From social media to artificial intelligence: improving research on digital harms in youth“, Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. 9 (3) 194-204.

Ballou, N., Hakman, T., Vuorre, M., Magnusson, K. and Przybylski, A.K. (2025) “How Do Video Games Affect Mental Health? A Narrative Review of 13 Proposed Mechanisms“, Technology, Mind, and Behavior. 6 (2).

Vuorre, M., & Przybylski, A. K. (2023). Global Well-Being and Mental Health in the Internet Age. Clinical Psychological Science, 21677026231207790. https://doi.org/10.1177/21677026231207791

Vuorre, M., & Przybylski, A. K. (2023). Estimating the association between Facebook adoption and well-being in 72 countries. Royal Society Open Science, 10(8), 221451. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.221451

Vuorre, M., Johannes, N., Magnusson, K., & Przybylski, A. K. (2022). Time spent playing video games is unlikely to impact well-being. Royal Society Open Science, 9(7), 220411. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.220411

Orben, A., Przybylski, A. K., Blakemore, S.-J., & Kievit, R. A. (2022). Windows of developmental sensitivity to social media. Nature Communications, 13(1), 1649. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29296-3

Orben, A., & Przybylski, A. K. (2019). The association between adolescent well-being and digital technology use. Nature Human Behaviour, 3(2), 173–182. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-018-0506-1

Przybylski, A. K., & Weinstein, N. (2017). A Large-Scale Test of the Goldilocks Hypothesis: Quantifying the Relations Between Digital-Screen Use and the Mental Well-Being of Adolescents. Psychological Science, 28(2), 204–215. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797616678438

All Publications

Journal articles

Fassi, L., Ferguson, A.M., Przybylski, A.K., Ford, T.J. and Orben, A. (2025) "Social media use in adolescents with and without mental health conditions", NATURE HUMAN BEHAVIOUR. 9 (6) 1283-1299.
Ballou, N., Hakman, T., Vuorre, M., Magnusson, K. and Przybylski, A.K. (2025) "How Do Video Games Affect Mental Health? A Narrative Review of 13 Proposed Mechanisms", TECHNOLOGY, MIND, AND BEHAVIOR. 6 (2) 123-143.
Ballou, N., Vuorre, M., Hakman, T., Magnusson, K. and Przybylski, A.K. (2025) "Perceived value of video games, but not hours played, predicts mental well-being in casual adult Nintendo players", ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE. 12 (3) 241174.
Mansfield, K.L., Ghai, S., Hakman, T., Ballou, N., Vuorre, M. and Przybylski, A.K. (2025) "From social media to artificial intelligence: improving research on digital harms in youth", LANCET CHILD & ADOLESCENT HEALTH. 9 (3) 194-204.
Vuorre, M., Ballou, N., Hakman, T., Magnusson, K. and Przybylski, A.K. (2024) "Affective Uplift During Video Game Play: A Naturalistic Case Study", Games: Research and Practice. 2 (3) 1-14.
Vuorre, M. and Przybylski, A.K. (2024) "A Multiverse Analysis of the Associations Between Internet Use and Well-Being", TECHNOLOGY, MIND, AND BEHAVIOR. 5 (2) 65-75.
Magnusson, K., Johansson, F. and Przybylski, A.K. (2024) "Harmful compared to what? The problem of gaming and ambiguous causal questions", ADDICTION. 119 (8) 1478-1486.
Przybylski, A. (2023) "Global Well-Being and Mental Health in the Internet Age", Clinical Psychological Science. 12 (5) 917-935.
Miller, J., Mills, K.L., Vuorre, M., Orben, A. and Przybylski, A.K. (2023) "Impact of digital screen media activity on functional brain organization in late childhood: Evidence from the ABCD study", CORTEX. 169 290-308.
Vuorre, M., Magnusson, K., Johannes, N., Butlin, J. and Przybylski, A.K. (2023) "An intensive longitudinal dataset of in-game player behaviour and well-being in PowerWash Simulator", SCIENTIFIC DATA. 10 (1) 622.
Vuorre, M. and Przybylski, A.K. (2023) "Estimating the association between Facebook adoption and well-being in 72 countries", ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE. 10 (8) 221451.
Syed Sheriff, R.J., Vuorre, M., Riga, E., Przybylski, A.K., Adams, H., Harmer, C.J. and Geddes, J.R. (2023) "A co-produced online cultural experience compared to a typical museum website for mental health in people aged 16-24: A proof-of-principle randomised controlled trial", AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY. 57 (5) 745-757.
Anvari, F., Kievit, R., Lakens, D., Pennington, C.R., Przybylski, A.K., Tiokhin, L., Wiernik, B.M. and Orben, A. (2023) "Not All Effects Are Indispensable: Psychological Science Requires Verifiable Lines of Reasoning for Whether an Effect Matters", PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE. 18 (2) 503-507.
Johannes, N., Dienlin, T., Bakhshi, H. and Przybylski, A.K. (2022) "No effect of different types of media on well-being.", Scientific Reports. 12 (1) 61.
Vuorre, M., Johannes, N., Magnusson, K. and Przybylski, A.K. (2022) "Time spent playing video games is unlikely to impact well-being", ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE. 9 (7) 220411.
Johannes, N., Vuorre, M., Magnusson, K. and Przybylski, A.K. (2022) "Time Spent Playing Two Online Shooters Has No Measurable Effect on Aggressive Affect", COLLABRA-PSYCHOLOGY Tullett, A. (eds.). 8 (1).
Orben, A., Przybylski, A.K., Blakemore, S.-.J. and Kievit, R. (2022) "Windows of developmental sensitivity to social media.", Nature Communications. 13 (1) 1649.
Sheriff, R.J.S., Adams, H., Riga, E., Przybylski, A.K., Bonsaver, L., Bergin, L., O'Dell, B., McCormack, S., Creswell, C., Cipriani, A. and Geddes, J.R. (2022) "Use of online cultural content for mental health and well-being during COVID-19 restrictions: cross-sectional survey", BJPSYCH BULLETIN. 46 (5) 278-287.
Przybylski, A.K. and Weinstein, N. (2021) "Does taking a short break from social media have a positive effect on well-being? Evidence from three preregistered field experiments", The Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science. 6 (3) 507-514.
Mitev, K., Weinstein, N., Karabeliova, S., Nguyen, T.-.V., Law, W. and Przybylski, A. (2021) "Social Media Use Only Helps, and Does Not Harm, Daily Interactions and Well-Being", TECHNOLOGY, MIND, AND BEHAVIOR. 2 (1) 22-33.
Johannes, N., Nguyen, T.-.V., Weinstein, N. and Przybylski, A.K. (2021) "Objective, Subjective, and Accurate Reporting of Social Media Use: No Evidence That Daily Social Media Use Correlates With Personality Traits, Motivational States, or Well-Being", TECHNOLOGY, MIND, AND BEHAVIOR. 2 (2) 152-165.
Vuorre, M., Zendle, D., Petrovskaya, E., Ballou, N. and Przybylski, A.K. (2021) "A Large-Scale Study of Changes to the Quantity, Quality, and Distribution of Video Game Play During a Global Health Pandemic", TECHNOLOGY, MIND, AND BEHAVIOR. 2 (4) 281-288.
Sheriff, R.J.S., Vuorre, M., Riga, E., Przybylski, A.K., Adams, H., Harmer, C.J. and Geddes, J.R. (2021) "A cultural experience to support mental health in people aged 16-24 during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to a typical museum website: study protocol of an online randomised controlled trial", TRIALS. 22 (1) 482.
Vuorre, M., Orben, A. and Przybylski, A.K. (2021) "There Is No Evidence That Associations Between Adolescents' Digital Technology Engagement and Mental Health Problems Have Increased", CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE. 9 (5) 823-835.
Johannes, N., Vuorre, M. and Przybylski, A.K. (2021) "Video game play is positively correlated with well-being", ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE. 8 (2) 202049.
Orben, A., Weinstein, N. and Przybylski, A.K. (2020) "Only Holistic and Iterative Change Will Fix Digital Technology Research", PSYCHOLOGICAL INQUIRY. 31 (3) 235-241.
IJzerman, H., Lewis, N.A.J., Przybylski, A.K., Weinstein, N., DeBruine, L., Ritchie, S.J., Vazire, S., Forscher, P.S., Morey, R.D., Ivory, J.D. and Anvari, F. (2020) "Use caution when applying behavioural science to policy", NATURE HUMAN BEHAVIOUR. 4 (11) 1092-1094.
Holmes, E.A., O'Connor, R.C., Perry, V.H., Tracey, I., Wessely, S., Arseneault, L., Ballard, C., Christensen, H., Silver, R.C., Everall, I., Ford, T., John, A., Kabir, T., King, K., Madan, I., Michie, S., Przybylski, A.K., Shafran, R., Sweeney, A., Worthman, C.M., Yardley, L., Cowan, K., Cope, C., Hotopf, M. and Bullmore, E. (2020) "Multidisciplinary research priorities for the COVID-19 pandemic: a call for action for mental health science", LANCET PSYCHIATRY. 7 (6) 547-560.
Orben, A. and Przybylski, A.K. (2020) "Reply to: Underestimating digital media harm", NATURE HUMAN BEHAVIOUR. 4 (4) 349-+.
Orben, A. and Przybylski, A.K. (2020) "Teenage sleep and technology engagement across the week", PEERJ. 8 (1) e8427.
Przybylski, A.K., Orben, A. and Weinstein, N. (2020) "How Much Is Too Much? Examining the Relationship Between Digital Screen Engagement and Psychosocial Functioning in a Confirmatory Cohort Study", JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY. 59 (9) 1080-1088.
(2019) "Corrigendum: Screens, Teens, and Psychological Well-Being: Evidence From Three Time-Use-Diary Studies", Psychological Science. 30 (8) 1254.
ORBEN, A. and PRZYBYLSKI, A.K. (2019) "Social Media's Enduring Effect on Adolescent Life Satisfaction", Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 116 (21) 10226-10228.
Orben, A. and Przybylski, A.K. (2019) "The association between adolescent well-being and digital technology use", Nature Human Behaviour. 3 (2) 173-182.
Weston, S.J., Ritchie, S.J., Rohrer, J.M. and Przybylski, A.K. (2019) "Recommendations for Increasing the Transparency of Analysis of Preexisting Data Sets", ADVANCES IN METHODS AND PRACTICES IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE. 2 (3) 214-227.
Przybylski, A.K. and Weinstein, N. (2019) "Investigating the Motivational and Psychosocial Dynamics of Dysregulated Gaming: Evidence From a Preregistered Cohort Study", CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE. 7 (6) 1257-1265.
Orben, A., Dienlin, T. and Przybylski, A.K. (2019) "REPLY TO FOSTER AND JACKSON: Open scientific practices are the way forward for social media effects research", PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 116 (31) 15334-15335.
Lanier, M., Waddell, F., Elson, M., Tamul, D.J., Iyory, J.D. and Przybylski, A. (2019) "Virtual reality check: Statistical power, reported results, and the validity of research on the psychology of virtual reality and immersive environments", COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR. 100 70-78.
Przybylski, A.K. and Weinstein, N. (2019) "Violent video game engagement is not associated with adolescents' aggressive behaviour: evidence from a registered report", ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE. 6 (2) 171474.
Orben, A. and Przybylski, A.K. (2019) "Screens, Teens and Psychological Well-Being: Evidence from three time-use diary studies", Psychological Science. 30 (5) 682-696.
Przybylski, A.K. (2019) "Exploring Adolescent Cyber Victimization in Mobile Games: Preliminary evidence from a British cohort", Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. 22 (3) 227-231.
Przybylski, A.K. (2019) "Digital Screen Time and Pediatric Sleep: Evidence from a Preregistered Cohort Study", JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS. 205 218-+.
Weinstein, N. and Przybylski, A.K. (2019) "The impacts of motivational framing of technology restrictions on adolescent concealment: Evidence from a preregistered experimental study", Computers in Human Behavior. 90 170-180.
Przybylski, A.K. and Weinstein, N. (2019) "Digital Screen Time Limits and Young Children's Psychological Well-Being: Evidence From a Population-Based Study.", Child Dev. 90 (1) e56-e65.
Legate, N., Weinstein, N., Przybylski, A. and PRZYBYLSKI, A.K. (2018) "Parenting Strategies and Adolescents’ Cyberbullying Behaviors: Evidence from a Preregistered Study of Parent-Child Dyads", Journal of Youth and Adolescence. 48 (2) 399-409.
Przybylski, A.K. and Nash, V. (2018) "Internet Filtering and Adolescent Exposure to Online Sexual Material.", Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking. 21 (7) 405-410.
van Rooij, A.J., Ferguson, C.J., Colder Carras, M., Kardefelt-Winther, D., Shi, J., Aarseth, E., Bean, A.M., Bergmark, K.H., Brus, A., Coulson, M., Deleuze, J., Dullur, P., Dunkels, E., Edman, J., Elson, M., Etchells, P.J., Fiskaali, A., Granic, I., Jansz, J., Karlsen, F., Kaye, L.K., Kirsh, B., Lieberoth, A., Markey, P., Mills, K.L., Nielsen, R.K.L., Orben, A., Poulsen, A., Prause, N., Prax, P., Quandt, T., Schimmenti, A., Starcevic, V., Stutman, G., Turner, N.E., van Looy, J. and Przybylski, A.K. (2018) "A weak scientific basis for gaming disorder: Let us err on the side of caution.", Journal of behavioral addictions. 7 (1) 1-9.
Przybylski, A.K. and Bowes, L. (2017) "Cyberbullying and adolescent well-being in England: a population-based cross-sectional study", The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health. 1 (1) 19-26.
Aarseth, E., Bean, A.M., Boonen, H., Colder Carras, M., Coulson, M., Das, D., Deleuze, J., Dunkels, E., Edman, J., Ferguson, C.J., Haagsma, M.C., Helmersson Bergmark, K., Hussain, Z., Jansz, J., Kardefelt-Winther, D., Kutner, L., Markey, P., Nielsen, R.K.L., Prause, N., Przybylski, A., Quandt, T., Schimmenti, A., Starcevic, V., Stutman, G., Van Looy, J. and Van Rooij, A.J. (2017) "Scholars' open debate paper on the World Health Organization ICD-11 Gaming Disorder proposal.", J Behav Addict. 6 (3) 267-270.
Przybylski, A.K. and Nash, V. (2017) "Internet Filtering Technology and Aversive Online Experiences in Adolescents.", The Journal of pediatrics. 184 215-219.e1.
Elson, M. and Przybylski, A.K. (2017) "The Science of Technology and Human Behavior Standards, Old and New", JOURNAL OF MEDIA PSYCHOLOGY-THEORIES METHODS AND APPLICATIONS. 29 (1) 1-7.
Przybylski, A.K. and Weinstein, N. (2017) "A Large-Scale Test of the Goldilocks Hypothesis.", Psychol Sci. 28 (2) 204-215.
Weinstein, N., Przybylski, A.K. and Murayama, K. (2017) "A prospective study of the motivational and health dynamics of Internet Gaming Disorder.", PeerJ. 5 (9) e3838.
Przybylski, A.K., Weinstein, N. and Murayama, K. (2017) "Open Scientific Practices Are the Way Forward for Internet Gaming Disorder Research: Response to Yao et al.", AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY. 174 (5) 487.
Przybylski, A.K., Weinstein, N. and Murayama, K. (2017) "Internet Gaming Disorder: Investigating the Clinical Relevance of a New Phenomenon", AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY. 174 (3) 230-236.
Przybylski, A.K. and Wang, J.C. (2016) "A large scale test of the gaming-enhancement hypothesis", PEERJ. 4 (11) e2710.
Przybylski, A.K. (2016) "Mischievous responding in Internet Gaming Disorder research.", PeerJ. 4 (9) e2401.
Przybylski, A.K. and Mishkin, A.F. (2016) "How the Quantity and Quality of Electronic Gaming Relates to Adolescents' Academic Engagement and Psychosocial Adjustment", PSYCHOLOGY OF POPULAR MEDIA CULTURE. 5 (2) 145-156.
Przybylski, A.K. and Weinstein, N. (2016) "How we see electronic games.", PeerJ. 4 (4) e1931.
Bell, V., Bishop, D.V.M. and Przybylski, A.K. (2015) "The debate over digital technology and young people", BMJ (Online). 351 h3064.
Przybylski, A.K. (2014) "Electronic gaming and psychosocial adjustment.", Pediatrics. 134 (3) e716-e722.
Przybylski, A.K. (2014) "Who believes electronic games cause real world aggression?", Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 17 (4) 228-234.
Przybylski, A.K., Rigby, C.S., Deci, E.L. and Ryan, R.M. (2014) "Competence-impeding electronic games and players' aggressive feelings, thoughts, and behaviors", Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 106 (3) 441-457.
Przybylski, A.K., Deci, E.L., Rigby, C.S. and Ryan, R.M. (2014) "Competence-Impeding Electronic Games and Players' Aggressive Feelings, Thoughts, and Behaviors (vol 103, pg 441, 2014)", JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY. 106 (3) 499.
Weinstein, N., Legate, N. and Przybylski, A.K. (2013) "Beauty is in the eye of the psychologically fulfilled: How need satisfying experiences shape aesthetic perceptions of spaces", MOTIVATION AND EMOTION. 37 (2) 245-260.
Przybylski, A.K., Murayama, K., DeHaan, C.R. and Gladwell, V. (2013) "Motivational, emotional, and behavioral correlates of fear of missing out", COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR. 29 (4) 1841-1848.
Weinstein, N., Przybylski, A.K. and Ryan, R.M. (2013) "The Integrative Process: New Research and Future Directions", CURRENT DIRECTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE. 22 (1) 69-74.
Przybylski, A.K. and Weinstein, N. (2013) "Can you connect with me now? How the presence of mobile communication technology influences face-to-face conversation quality", JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AND PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. 30 (3) 237-246.
Przybylski, A.K. (2012) "We'll Miss You Steve: How the Death of a Technology Innovator Emotionally Impacts Those Who Use and Love His Digital Devices", CYBERPSYCHOLOGY BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING. 15 (7) 335-338.
Weinstein, N., Przybylski, A.K. and Ryan, R.M. (2012) "The index of autonomous functioning: Development of a scale of human autonomy", JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN PERSONALITY. 46 (4) 397-413.
Weinstein, N., Ryan, W.S., DeHaan, C.R., Przybylski, A.K., Legate, N. and Ryan, R.M. (2012) "Parental Autonomy Support and Discrepancies Between Implicit and Explicit Sexual Identities: Dynamics of Self-Acceptance and Defense", JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY. 102 (4) 815-832.
Przybylski, A.K., Weinstein, N., Murayama, K., Lynch, M.F. and Ryan, R.M. (2012) "The ideal self at play: the appeal of video games that let you be all you can be.", Psychol Sci. 23 (1) 69-76.
Przybylski, A.K., Rigby, C.S. and Ryan, R.M. (2010) "A Motivational Model of Video Game Engagement", REVIEW OF GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY. 14 (2) 154-166.
Weinstein, N., Przybylski, A.K. and Ryan, R.M. (2009) "Can Nature Make Us More Caring? Effects of Immersion in Nature on Intrinsic Aspirations and Generosity", PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN. 35 (10) 1315-1329.
Przybylski, A.K., Weinstein, N., Ryan, R.M. and Rigby, C.S. (2009) "Having to versus Wanting to Play: Background and Consequences of Harmonious versus Obsessive Engagement in Video Games", CYBERPSYCHOLOGY & BEHAVIOR. 12 (5) 485-492.
Rigby, C.S. and Przybylski, A.K. (2009) "Virtual worlds and the learner hero How today's video games can inform tomorrow's digital learning environments", THEORY AND RESEARCH IN EDUCATION. 7 (2) 214-223.
Przybylski, A.K., Ryan, R.M. and Rigby, C.S. (2009) "The Motivating Role of Violence in Video Games", PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN. 35 (2) 243-259.
Ryan, R.M., Rigby, C.S. and Przybylski, A.K. (2006) "The Motivational Pull of Video Games: A Self-Determination Theory Approach", Motivation and Emotion. 30 (4) 344-360.
LICHTENBERG, W., PRZYBYLSKI, A. and SCHEER, M. (1975) "BREMSSTRAHLUNG LINEAR POLARIZATION AT INCIDENT ELECTRON ENERGIES OF 0.5-1.5 MEV", PHYSICAL REVIEW A. 11 (2) 480-487.
LICHTENBERG, W. and PRZYBYLSKI, A. (1972) "MONTE-CARLO CALCULATION OF MULTIPLE-SCATTERING IN A COMPTON POLARIMETER", NUCLEAR INSTRUMENTS & METHODS. 98 (1) 99-+.
Syed Sheriff, R., Vuorre, M., Riga, E., Przybylski, A., Adams, H., Harmer, C.J. and Geddes, J. "An Online Cultural Experience for Mental Health in People Aged 16-24 Compared to a Typical Museum Website: A Randomised Controlled Trial", SSRN Electronic Journal.

Projects

Programme on Adolescent Well-Being in the Digital Age

This programme addresses the assumptions that the overall mental well-being of young people is undergoing a pronounced period of decline and that digital technologies might be driving this trend.

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Capturing the Digital Footprints of Video Game Play

We’re developing an open source method of collecting behavioural video game data, to allow for rigorous science without relying on direct collaboration with industry.

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Understanding Video Game Play and Mental Health

This project will collect and share detailed behavioural game data donated by players to help us understand how the quality and quantity of online play shapes human motivation and mental health.

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Integrity Statement

Professor Przybylski’s work is financially supported by UK Research and Innovation and the Economic and Social Research Council (ES/Y010736/1). In previous years, his research was funded by the ESRC, Huo Family Foundation, The British Academy, The Diana Award, The Leverhulme Trust, Barnardo’s, and the University of Oxford’s John Fell Fund.

From 2022 until 2024, he served as a scientific advisor to the Sync Digital Wellbeing Program. In 2024 and 2025, he provided advice to the Google Expert Advisory on Youth and Tech and in 2025, he provided advice to the Open AI Expert Council on Well-Being and AI. In 2025, he provided advice to UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, funded research and analysis on Understanding the impact of smartphones and social media on children and young people (led by the University of Cambridge).

Professor Przybylski is a member of the UK’s Department for Culture, Media & Sport’s College of Experts, and he is now writing a book based on his research.

Professor Przybylski donates any fees from industry to charity and conducts his research in line with the University of Oxford’s academic integrity code of practice.

Recordings

Is Screen Time as Poisonous as We Think?

With Professor Andrew Przybylski

Young people have been reporting a sharp rise in anxiety and depression. This maps neatly onto the global rise of the smartphone. Some researchers are convinced that one is causing the other. But how strong is the evidence?

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The Surprising Effects of Social Media on Teen Mental Health (Part 2)

With Professor Andrew Przybylski

This episode challenges media-driven narratives about technology-induced crises, advocating for informed, evidence-based research over panic.

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The Surprising Effects of Social Media on Mental Health and Teens

With Professor Andrew Przybylski

Dr. Matt Motyl and Professor Andrew Przybylski of the University of Oxford critically explore the intricate relationship between social media, video games, and teen mental well-being.

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The OII Podcast Ep. 1: Tech, Screentime, Social Media and Wellbeing

With Professor Andrew Przybylski and Dr Sakshi Ghai

Professor Andy Przybylski and Dr Sakshi Ghai discuss how the digital world is affecting society and individuals, and concerns around tech usage.

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News & Press

Blogs & Press releases

How the social media debate on teen mental health is missing the point

13 May 2025

Expert Comment: Professor Andy Przybylski explains how the social media debate on teen mental health is missing the point.

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Adolescents with mental health conditions use social media differently than their peers, study suggests

6 May 2025

One of the first studies in this area to use clinical-level diagnoses reveals a range of differences between young people with and without mental health conditions when it comes to social media – from changes in mood to time spent on sites.

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13 ways gaming affects your mental health – for better and worse

30 April 2025

New Oxford study offers roadmap for understanding video games’ complex impact on wellbeing

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It’s quality not quantity that predicts gamers’ wellbeing, new study finds

12 March 2025

New analysis finds that the number of hours spent playing Nintendo games did not significantly affect adults’ mental well-being, life satisfaction, emotional state, or depressive symptoms.

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Press Coverage

What are children’s rights when it comes to social media restrictions for young people?

Nippon TV News, 18 December 2025

Children should have the right to access information, the right to interact with those around them, and the right to play. The OII's Professor Andrew Przybylski comments on the digital rights of children.

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How worried should you be about spending too much time on your phone?

New Scientist, 08 December 2025

Screen time has been linked to all sorts of problems, from depression and obesity to poor sleep. But how worried should you really be? Jacob Aron sifts through the evidence.

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This counterintuitive advice about kids and phones makes a lot of sense

Vox, 04 September 2025

The case for giving one to your 3-year-old is not as outlandish as it sounds.

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