|
AMERICAN
<br /> V AM PSY'CN^ OLOGICA
<br /> Usm wow ASSOCIATION
<br /> TMEM Now SERVICES,INC.
<br /> brakes." Adolescence is thus a developmentally vulnerable period during which youth may be
<br /> especially motivated to pursue social rewards, and not yet frilly capable of restraining themselves.
<br /> Research suggests that technology and social media use may exploit this biological
<br /> vulnerability among youth. Data reveal that social media stimuli, such as receiving "likes" or
<br /> followers activates the social reward regions of the brain '. In other words, these features of social
<br /> media capitalize on youths' biologically based need for social rewards before they are able to
<br /> regulate themselves from over-use. This has at least four significant implications for youth mental
<br /> health.
<br /> ,Social Media and Loneliness_ Although ostensibly social media platforms are built to
<br /> foster interpersonal contacts and connections,they are not designed primarily to foster meaningful
<br /> and mutually rewarding relationships that confer psychological benefits. Relationships are most
<br /> beneficial to youths' psychological development when they are characterized by support,
<br /> emotional intimacy, disclosure, positive regard, reliable alliance (e.g., "having each other's
<br /> backs"), and trust". It is possible to use social media to foster exactly these types of relationship
<br /> qualities, such as through direct messaging features. However, these are not the functions that are
<br /> highlighted on most platforms. More typically, users are directed towards the number of"likes,"
<br /> followers, or reposts they received, often without immediate access to the identity of those who
<br /> engaged with their profile or content. In other words, platforms are more apt to motivate users
<br /> towards one's metrics than people themselves, which has led many youth to upload curated or
<br /> filtered content to portray themselves most favorably. Note that these features of social media, and
<br /> the resulting behaviors of those who use social media create the exact opposite qualities needed
<br /> for successful and adaptive relationships(i.e.,disingenuous,anonymous,depersonalized). In other
<br /> s Sherman,L. E.,Hernandez,L. M., Greenfield,P. M., &Dapretto,M. (2018). What the brain'Likes':neural
<br /> correlates of providing feedback on social media. Social cognitive and affective neuroscience, 13(7),699-707.
<br /> lltddi�,s„//clsri sr,rsy/a 0.a 09 3/sca ti/�a05 a.
<br /> 9 Furman,W.,Bukowski,W.M.,Newcomb,A. F., &Hartup,W. W. (1996). The company they keep: Friendship in
<br /> childhood and adolescence. Cambridge studies in social and emotional development.In W. Bukowski.,A.
<br /> Newcomb&W. Hartup(Eds),The measurement of friendship perceptions: Conceptual and methodological, (41-
<br /> 65).
<br /> 7
<br /> APA.ORG
<br /> APASERVICES.ORG
<br /> 750 Furst Street,NIIE 202.336.5800
<br /> Advocating for APA rrterribers ood pnychC7logy Washington,DC'20002-4242 202.336,6i123 TDD
<br />
|