Ep. 246: Kids and Phones
Deep Questions with Cal Newport
Impact of Social Media on Loneliness and Mental Health
Researchers believe that social media can cause negative impacts on mental health due to factors such as loneliness. Increased use of social technologies can lead to less in-person interaction, resulting in a paradoxical outcome where individuals feel less social despite using social media extensively. This is because purely linguistic communication through texting and social media lacks the social cues that our brain interprets as genuine social interaction, leading to increased feelings of loneliness. This phenomenon, known as social snacking, involves lightweight digital socialization as a substitute for genuine in-person interaction, ultimately resulting in increased loneliness among teenagers. Data also shows a correlation between increased time spent on phones and reduced in-person interaction, leading to higher levels of loneliness among young people.
