Social Media is Just Like Any Other ‘Addiction’
Razi Berry Our use of social media, specifically our efforts to maximize “likes,” follows a pattern of “reward learning,” concludes a new study by an international team of scientists. Its findings, which appear in the journal Nature Communications, reveal parallels with the behavior of animals, such as rats, in seeking food rewards. “These results establish […]
An Interesting Study on ‘Deepfakes’ and Our Likelihood to Circulate Them
Razi Berry A Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) study has found that some Singaporeans have reported that, despite being aware of the existence of ‘deepfakes’ in general, they believe they have circulated deepfake content on social media which they later found out was a hoax. Deepfakes, a portmanteau of ‘deep learning’ and ‘fake’, are […]
We Tend to ‘Copy’ Our Friends’ Eating Habits
Razi Berry The research, by Aston University’s School of Life and Health Sciences, found that study participants ate an extra fifth of a portion of fruit and vegetables themselves for every portion they thought their social media peers ate. So, if they believed their friends got their ‘five a day’ of fruit and veg, they […]
Facebook Use Linked to Depression
Razi Berry Everyone else is better than me. That’s the impression you get when you look at profiles on social networks. Social media and the great depression Great holiday, fantastic party, adorable children, incredible food: everyone shows their life in the best light on social networks. Those who take a look around on such sites […]
What Do You Do When People Aren’t Happy for You?
Razi Berry It’s important to have the support of family and friends when we are struggling. It’s the people who know us most intimately that encourage us to do better, to make necessary changes to improve our health, our happiness. It’s also important to have people to inspire us when we actually start making those […]
Excessive Postings on Social Media Linked to Narcissistic Traits
Razi Berry A very interesting study suggests that excessive use of social media – especially posting of selfies and images – may be associated with a development or increase in narcissism. Study suggests excessive use of social media associated with narcissism Narcissism is a personality characteristic that is characterized by extreme selfishness, a grandiose view of one’s […]
Social Media May be Turning Bad News Into Mass Hysteria
Node Smith, ND A very interesting research study was conducted recently out of the University of Warwick, on how news stories about terrorism, disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and other potential threats are distorted to the point of hysteria when passed from person to person through social media channels. Just like the old school game of […]
“Facebook Detox” May Be a New Treatment for Stress Reduction
Node Smith, ND Technology has developed much faster than our ability to study its effects on our lives. An example of this is social media, such as Facebook, twitter, Instagram, and others. The impact of social media on mental and physical health has only just begun being studied over the past few years, and its […]