A study conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has shed light on the potential consequences of social media on the developing brains of adolescents. In one of the first long-term investigations into adolescent neural development and technology use, the study found that habitual checking of social media is linked to changes in how the teenage brain responds to the world around them.
Published in JAMA Pediatrics, the study highlights that adolescents who frequently check social media may become more sensitive to social rewards and punishments over time. This increased sensitivity to feedback from peers could have significant implications for their emotional and cognitive development.
The research team tracked 169 students from public middle schools in rural North Carolina over a period of three years. At the start of the study, participants reported the frequency of their social media use on three popular platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. The range varied from less than once a day to more than 20 times a day. Throughout the study, the participants underwent yearly brain imaging sessions while completing a social incentive delay task, which measured their brain activity when anticipating social feedback from their peers.
Maria Maza, one of the study’s lead authors and a doctoral student in psychology, noted that the findings suggest that children who grow up checking social media more often may become hypersensitive to feedback from their peers. This heightened sensitivity could potentially promote compulsive social media use. However, Maza also acknowledged that it could be an adaptive behaviour that helps teenagers navigate the increasingly digital world they live in, the university reported.
Social media platforms deliver a constant and unpredictable stream of social feedback in the form of likes, comments, notifications, and messages. These inputs are frequent, inconsistent, and often rewarding, making them powerful reinforcers that condition users to repeatedly check social media. The study’s co-lead author, Kara Fox, a doctoral student in psychology, highlighted the impact of these factors on adolescents’ behaviour.
The study’s findings align with previous research indicating that a significant proportion of teenagers are constantly connected to their mobile devices. In fact, 78% of 13- to 17-year-olds report checking their mobile devices at least once an hour, while 35% of teens admit to using one of the top five social media platforms almost constantly.
The researchers discovered that young teens aged 12 to 13 who checked social media frequently, more than 15 times a day, exhibited changes in how their brains developed over the three-year study period. Specifically, their brains became more sensitive to social feedback. These findings have significant implications for parents and policymakers who need to consider the potential benefits and harms associated with teenage technology use.
Mitch Prinstein, the study’s co-author and Chief Science Officer for the American Psychological Association, stressed the importance of understanding the long-term consequences of social media use during adolescence. Since this period is critical for brain development, the research indicates that checking behaviours on social media could have lasting effects on adolescents’ neural development.
This research offers valuable insights into the impact of social media on the developing brains of adolescents. By understanding the potential consequences, we can better support teenagers in navigating the digital landscape while ensuring their healthy cognitive and emotional growth.
