IMPACTS OF WEB BASED LIFE ON TEENS' MIND

ORIGINAL MATERIAL:

Link:

https://now.northropgrumman.com/this-is-your-brain-on-instagram-effects-of-social-media-on-the-
brain/

KELLY MCSWEENEY

Mar 17th 2019

This is Your Brain on Instagram: Effects of Social Media on Brain

In the last 15 years, social media has become such a pervasive part of our lives that we don’t even notice
how much time we’re spending on it. Statista reports that the average person spends 135 minutes on
social media each day, following an upward trend of increasing time spent on social media each year.
This raises the question: What are the effects of social media on the brain?

Psychology: Comparison Is the Thief of Joy

A University of Pennsylvania study examined how social media use causes fear of missing out (“FOMO”).
In the study, one group of participants limited their time on social media to 30 minutes a day, while a
control group continued to use Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram as usual. The researchers tracked the
participants’ social media time automatically via iPhone battery usage screen shots, and participants
completed surveys about their mood and well-being. After three weeks, the participants who limited
social media said that they felt less depressed and lonely than people who had no social media limits.

Psychologist Melissa Hunt led the study. She explained, “‘Using less social media than you normally
would leads to significant decreases in both depression and loneliness. These effects are particularly
pronounced for folks who were more depressed when they came into the study.'”

Hunt suggests that the reason for feeling depressed after spending too much time on social networks
boils down to comparison. When viewing someone else’s curated life online, it’s easy see their perfect
pictures and think their lives are better than yours.
Physiology: Brain Chemistry Leaves Us Craving More “Likes”

Neuroscientists are studying the effects of social media on the brain and finding that positive
interactions (such as someone liking your tweet) trigger the same kind of chemical reaction that is
caused by gambling and recreational drugs.

According to an article by Harvard University researcher Trevor Haynes, when you get a social media
notification, your brain sends a chemical messenger called dopamine along a reward pathway, which
makes you feel good. Dopamine is associated with food, exercise, love, sex, gambling, drugs … and now,
social media. Variable reward schedules up the ante; psychologist B.F. Skinner first described this in the
1930s. When rewards are delivered randomly (as with a slot machine or a positive interaction on social
media), and checking for the reward is easy, the dopamine-triggering behavior becomes a habit.

Side Effects of Social Media on the Brain

Spending too much time on social media isn’t just a bad habit; it can have real consequences. Science
shows that we are basically carrying around little dopamine stimulators in our pockets, so it’s not
surprising that we’re constantly distracted by our phones. A TED video explains that social media makes
us bad at multitasking and causes phantom vibration syndrome, which is when you feel like your phone
is buzzing even though it’s not.

Just like a gambling or substance addiction, social media addiction involves broken reward pathways in
our brains. Social media provides immediate rewards — in the form of attention from your network —
for minimal effort through a quick thumb tap. Therefore, the brain rewires itself, making you desire
likes, retweets, emoji applause and so on. According to TED, five to 10 percent of internet users are
psychologically addicted and can’t control how much time they spend online. Brain scans of social media
addicts are similar to those of drug-dependent brains: There is a clear change in the regions of the brain
that control emotions, attention and decision making.

To make things worse, according to TED, the reward centers in our brains are most active when we’re
talking about ourselves. In real life, people talk about themselves 30 to 40 percent of the time; social
media is all about showing off your life, so people talk about themselves a whopping 80 percent of the
time. When a person posts a picture and gets positive social feedback, it stimulates the brain to release
dopamine, which again rewards that behavior and perpetuates the social media habit.
Moderation Is Crucial

The science is clear: Too much social media can alter our brain chemistry. But there are also many good
sides to social media; for example, we use these networks to stay in touch with friends and family and to
connect to more people across the globe. Phys.org reports that social media is good for science
communication, which is critical for getting research findings to shape public policy. As for what can be
done to mitigate the negative, the University of Pennsylvania study suggests that limiting the amount of
time spent on social media can reduce harmful psychological effects.

Paraphrase Summary:

KELLY MCSWEENEY
Mar 17th 2019

This is Your Brain on Instagram: Effects of Social Media on Brain

Over the most recent 15 years, internet based life has become such an inescapable piece of our lives
that we don't see how much time we're spending on it. Statista reports that the normal individual goes
through 135 minutes via web-based networking media every day, following an upward pattern of
expanding time spent via web-based networking media every year. This brings up the issue: What are
the impacts of online networking on the cerebrum?

Psychology: Comparison is the Thief of Joy

A College of Pennsylvania study inspected how web based life use causes dread of passing up a great
opportunity ("FOMO"). In the examination, one gathering of members restricted their time via web-
based networking media to 30 minutes every day, while a benchmark group kept on utilizing Facebook,
Snapchat and Instagram of course. The analysts followed the members' online life time consequently by
means of iPhone battery utilization screen shots, and members finished overviews about their state of
mind and prosperity. Following three weeks, the members who constrained web based life said that
they felt less discouraged and forlorn than individuals who had no online networking limits.

Analyst Melissa Chase drove the investigation. She clarified, "'Utilizing less online networking than you
ordinarily would prompts critical declines in both melancholy and dejection. These impacts are
especially articulated for people who were progressively discouraged when they came into the
investigation.'"

Chase proposes that the purpose behind inclination discouraged in the wake of investing an excess of
energy in interpersonal organizations comes down to correlation. When seeing another person's curated
life on the web, it's simple see their ideal pictures and think their lives are better than yours.

Physiology: Brain Chemistry Leaves Us Craving More "Likes"

Neuroscientists are considering the impacts of web based life on the mind and finding that positive
associations, (for example, somebody enjoying your tweet) trigger a similar sort of substance response
that is brought about by betting and recreational medications.

As per an article by Harvard College specialist Trevor Haynes, when you get a web-based social
networking notice, your cerebrum sends a concoction flag-bearer called dopamine along a prize
pathway, which causes you to feel great. Dopamine is related with food, work out, adoration, sex,
betting, drugs … and now, internet based life. Variable prize timetables raise the stakes; analyst B.F.
Skinner originally portrayed this during the 1930s. At the point when prizes are conveyed arbitrarily
(likewise with a gambling machine or a positive communication via web-based networking media), and
checking for the prize is simple, the dopamine-activating conduct turns into a propensity.

Side Effects of Social Media on the Brain

Investing an excessive amount of energy in internet based life isn't only a negative behavior pattern; it
can have genuine results. Science shows that we are essentially hauling around little dopamine triggers
in our pockets, so it's not astounding that we're continually diverted by our telephones. A TED video
clarifies that online networking makes us awful at performing various tasks and causes apparition
vibration disorder, which is the point at which you have an inclination that your telephone is humming
despite the fact that it's most certainly not.

Much the same as a betting or substance dependence, web-based social networking fixation includes
broken prize pathways in our minds. Web based life gives prompt prizes — as consideration from your
system — for negligible exertion through a brisk thumb tap. Hence, the mind revamps itself, making you
want likes, retweets, emoticon praise, etc. As indicated by TED, five to 10 percent of web clients are
mentally dependent and can't control how much time they spend on the web. Mind outputs of web
based life addicts are like those of medication subordinate cerebrums: There is an away from in the
locales of the cerebrum that control feelings, consideration and dynamic.

To compound the situation, as indicated by TED, the prize places in our minds are most dynamic when
we're discussing ourselves. All things considered, individuals talk about themselves 30 to 40 percent of
the time; internet based life is tied in with flaunting your life, so individuals talk about themselves an
astounding 80 percent of the time. At the point when an individual posts an image and gets positive
social input, it animates the mind to discharge dopamine, which again compensates that conduct and
propagates the internet based life propensity.
Moderation is Crucial

The science is clear: An excess of online life can change our cerebrum science. In any case, there are
additionally numerous acceptable sides to online life; for instance, we utilize these systems to keep in
contact with loved ones and to interface with more individuals over the globe. Phys.org reports that
internet based life is useful for science correspondence, which is basic for getting research discoveries to
shape open arrangement. With respect to what should be possible to relieve the negative, the College of
Pennsylvania study proposes that constraining the measure of time spent via web-based networking
media can decrease unsafe mental impacts.

Leader: Ferranco, Dianne Kate F.

Members: Millanes, Dimple T.

Aceveda, Lazy Hanz Y.

Malabanan, Christell Joy D.

Hinampas, Jormie Iran C.

Olan, Shaine Erika C.