Spotlight on dark mode

Many tech users have embraced their devices’ dark mode, where the usual display is reversed to show light coloured text against a black background. The negative polarity aims to reduce the amount of light given out by screens with claims that it’s better for battery life and can reduce eye strain. But a new study has shown that the benefits of switching to dark mode aren’t so clear.

Researchers examined the effect of the display on cognitive load and emotional reaction in users from different age groups. They looked at older and younger adults using the devices in both bright and dim environments.

Higher mental load was recorded in older adults using the mode in a bright environment and younger adults in the dim conditions. The older users also reported “more positive emotions using positive polarity, while younger adults expressed more interest in negative polarity”.

The study added: “These results suggest that older adults use positive polarity to avoid mental fatigue, while younger adults use negative polarity in a dim environment for aesthetic reasons.”

The results could help in the creation of displays designed to optimise users’ performance.

Read the full paper from the journal Ergonomics