Youngsters’ social media habit has developmental impact, researcher says
Mar 3, 2025
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Eva Telzer, a neuroscience and psychology professor at UNC Chapel Hill, dives deep into the heavy social media habits of teenagers. With a staggering number of teens online constantly, she highlights how this relentless connectivity reshapes adolescent brain development. Telzer discusses the psychological effects, such as increased sensitivity to social feedback that can lead to anxiety and loneliness. She also touches on the necessity for adult guidance and possible legal measures to ensure safer social media experiences for young users.
Intense social media engagement among adolescents can lead to heightened anxiety and loneliness, impacting their long-term emotional development.
Parents and educators must actively manage young people's social media usage to promote healthier interactions and emotional well-being.
Deep dives
Adolescents' Digital Engagement
Many adolescents are heavily engaged with social media, spending an average of eight or more hours on their devices daily. Some teens even report being online upwards of 16 hours a day, indicating a pervasive presence of technology in their lives. This intense online engagement often leads to a behavior known as 'fubbing,' where individuals are physically present but mentally absorbed in their devices, impacting real-life interactions. The combination of constant connectivity and the need for social validation can make it challenging for them to disconnect and engage in face-to-face relationships.
Impact of Social Media on Brain Development
Research reveals that habitual social media use among adolescents is linked to increased brain activation in areas sensitive to peer feedback and rewards. This heightened sensitivity can create a feedback loop, where the need for social media engagement intensifies, potentially leading to increased feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and depression as they transition into adulthood. As the adolescent brain undergoes significant changes, the constant social media interaction may mold long-term behavior and emotional responses. These findings underscore the importance of understanding how digital interactions can have lasting effects on young people's mental health and social skills.
Navigating Social Media Use
Parents and educators face significant challenges in managing adolescents' social media usage as children often lack the structure needed to navigate these platforms responsibly. Some young people express a desire for more guidance, wishing they could have waited longer before engaging in social media. Without proactive intervention, such as limiting usage during critical times like nighttime, their mental well-being, academic performance, and emotional regulation could suffer. Implementing policies to create safer online spaces and fostering open communication about social media's potential harms could aid in addressing these challenges.
Social media takes up a huge chunk of kids’ lives. A 2024 study from Pew found that about half of U.S. teenagers are online “almost constantly.” It’s a big source of stress for parents too, and policing their kids’ actions on these platforms can take up a lot of time and energy. Also, there’s AI, and it’s showing up on social media as bots that are always available to talk. We’re going to get to all of that this week in our new series about what it’s like to be a kid on social media and the risks and rules that come with it. We call it “The Infinite Scroll.” We’re kicking things off with Eva Telzer, a professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Telzer told Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes about the intensity of youngsters’ connection to their phones and its effects on how the kids are wired, which may last into adulthood.
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