Social media has a cognitive cost for Gen Alpha and Gen Z. Schools are reporting more kids struggling to focus, and researchers are linking it to social media use. A new JAMA study using data on 6K students tracked from when they were 9-13-years-old shows those who spent about an hour a day on socials scored up to two points lower on reading and memory tests than non-users. That’s even on the relative “low” end; those spending three or more hours daily on socials saw decreased scores up to five points, a progression researchers call the “dosage effect.” Psychologist Mitch Prinstein says social apps are training brains for “rapid, constant feedback,” which undermines paced classroom learning. With 67% of kids using social media before age 13-years-old, 50% mention losing track of time on phones, and 11% say social media hurts their schoolwork. (NPR)
👀 Read more from YPulse: Does Gen Z Really Think Social Media is Bad for Them?
