This recent UCLA study about what happens in a teens’ brain when they get a “like” on their photo is very interesting. The researchers looked at brain scans of teenagers while they were looking at “neutral” photos, such as friends having innocent fun, and “risky” photos, that included photos of teens drinking alcohol and wearing sexy clothes.
When teens saw photos with more likes, they were significantly more inclined to like the photo, as well. Does this mean that are kids are spending less time in life trying to form their own opinions? Kids have always been impacted by their peers, but as Lauren Sherman, one of the researchers, noted:
“In the past, teens made their own judgments about how everyone around them was responding, When it comes to likes, there’s no ambiguity.”
In this same study they found that when teenagers looked at risky photos compared with neutral photos, they had less activity in areas associated with “cognitive control.” When the teenagers saw pictures that showed risky behavior, it decreased activity in the regions of their brain that are responsible for putting on the brakes. The real life implications of this have not been fleshed out in studies, but clearly it is important to discuss with our kids.
For Tech Talk Tuesday this week let’s talk about how "likes" (and peers in general) influence our opinions and behaviors:
As well as our weekly blog, we publish videos like this one every week on the Screenagers YouTube channel
This recent UCLA study about what happens in a teens’ brain when they get a “like” on their photo is very interesting. The researchers looked at brain scans of teenagers while they were looking at “neutral” photos, such as friends having innocent fun, and “risky” photos, that included photos of teens drinking alcohol and wearing sexy clothes.
When teens saw photos with more likes, they were significantly more inclined to like the photo, as well. Does this mean that are kids are spending less time in life trying to form their own opinions? Kids have always been impacted by their peers, but as Lauren Sherman, one of the researchers, noted:
“In the past, teens made their own judgments about how everyone around them was responding, When it comes to likes, there’s no ambiguity.”
In this same study they found that when teenagers looked at risky photos compared with neutral photos, they had less activity in areas associated with “cognitive control.” When the teenagers saw pictures that showed risky behavior, it decreased activity in the regions of their brain that are responsible for putting on the brakes. The real life implications of this have not been fleshed out in studies, but clearly it is important to discuss with our kids.
For Tech Talk Tuesday this week let’s talk about how "likes" (and peers in general) influence our opinions and behaviors:
As well as our weekly blog, we publish videos like this one every week on the Screenagers YouTube channel
We released a new Screenager’s Podcast episode which is my candid interview with 3 teenage girls about Instagram. And it is, in my unbiased opinion, an awesome interview :). In today's blog, I highlight some key points we discussed and encourage you to listen to the podcast with the youth in your life and use the discussion questions at the end of this blog.
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I thank my daughter, Tessa, for this guest blog where she discusses TikTok and, most importantly, links to 7 TikTok posts that came into her feed. When watched with your child, these clips provide a unique, and I would add an awesome, way to have a conversation about TikTok and related media without having to look directly at your child’s feed (if they have TikTok).
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A Warning Label for social media? The US Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S., is urging Congress to enact legislation for a tobacco-like warning on social media. It's a significant step in the right direction. I’m a supporter of it!
READ MORE >for more like this, DR. DELANEY RUSTON'S NEW BOOK, PARENTING IN THE SCREEN AGE, IS THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE FOR TODAY’S PARENTS. WITH INSIGHTS ON SCREEN TIME FROM RESEARCHERS, INPUT FROM KIDS & TEENS, THIS BOOK IS PACKED WITH SOLUTIONS FOR HOW TO START AND SUSTAIN PRODUCTIVE FAMILY TALKS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND IT’S IMPACT ON OUR MENTAL WELLBEING.
