[0:00]All right. So we might have to do this a couple times. Just you've been for warned.
[0:09]We use the hell out of social media, and while on occasion it can prove useful, oh man, my Grammy's bitmoji game is dope. Experts warn that social media use is fundamentally changing the way our brains process information. The media thinks we're addicted. teens, social media, obsessed, obsessed. There's always some new study highlighting some new finding on how social media is ruining young minds. I get it, perfect vacations, perfect selfies. You can only scroll through your Instagram feed for so long before it really gets to you, right? But if you look at the actual research, does it support the idea that social media is subconsciously chipping away at our emotional wellbeing, making us depressed? And can you really use a blanket statement, social media? Are Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram all doing the same thing to your brain? First, a little historical context on how experts have viewed new communication technologies. In 1936, when radio was all the rage, students were at risk of disturbing the balance of their excitable minds. Television, it was going to disrupt conversation, reading, and the patterns of family living, resulting in the further vulgarization of American culture. Patterns of family living. What the hell does that even mean? Now, it's social media's turn under the microscope. Though it may be pretty new to the research world, there have still been over 400 studies looking at Facebook alone, trying to understand how and why people use social media. The results don't boil down to a simple one-size-fits-all consensus. In researching this story, we looked primarily at studies published in the last three years from respected American research universities, like the University of Michigan and Carnegie Melon. The majority of those studies focused specifically on Facebook use, and a good number did find a correlation between Facebook use and a depressed mood. But there's always a, but isn't there? It's not necessarily the case that Facebook use is causing a depressed mood.
[2:00]It could just as easily mean that people who are feeling depressed spend more time on Facebook. When looking at Facebook use, researchers found that how you're using it is super important. Facebook's resident expert explains. If you look at more active uses of Facebook, so looking at people sending comments or sharing messages or writing on each other's walls, we find that well-being improves over time. But on the other hand, um, just sitting back and passively reading your newsfeed doesn't have these effects. Are you passively scrolling through your Facebook feed, letting selfies and food porn slowly wash over you? If so, the link between social media use and depressed mood appears to hold true. But if you're showing some love to your cousin Bob, who just graduated, finally, then the correlation can swing the other way. Your mood might actually get a boost. So when they say, Facebook use is associated with depressed mood, we have to define what they mean. Passive use or active use? And if it's the latter, active use, with who? If what's important is how you're using social media and who you're using it with, then Snapchat may be the clearest example yet of how all social media isn't created equal. For the research crowd, Snapchat is still pretty new, so there's not a ton of research yet. One study published in the research journal, Information, Communication, and Society, found that Snapchat interactions were associated more with positive mood compared to other social media platforms. Now, it's a small sample size of 154 undergraduates in Michigan. It's not big or varied enough to apply the results to everyone, but the study's authors think that with Snapchat, give me a second. Ephemerality is a key ingredient. Videos and photos disappear seconds after being viewed. Because of this, we often share more mundane, everyday stuff with close friends. A stark contrast to the perfectly curated photos of success posted on Instagram that will exist forever. We can't give Snapchat all the credit for causing an uptic in mood, but more general research in psychology does support this interpretation. The ephemerality, do your Googles, of Snapchat, requires the user to be present and in the moment. This focus on the here and now, as opposed to thinking about the past or future, is associated with a positive mood. That's what these dudes over here said. So the next time you see a scary headline about the evils of social media, remember, the research says how you're using it is what really matters. Typically, passive use is associated with depressed mood. Active use is associated with positive mood. So, what do you think? Does this research ring true for you? How does your social media affect your mood? Let us know in the comments below. Till next time.
