Parents want to give their children all the tools possible to prepare them for the wider world, but in addition to teaching them valuable life lessons, many also gift their children with smartphones. I’m doing it.
For young people entering their teens, it’s become a rite of passage – as well as dealing with stinking attitudes and tons of GCSE preparation, the majority of young people in the UK are also getting fancy gadgets.
But knowing how these devices are impacting the next generation’s brains might make us think twice about giving smartphones to schoolchildren.
Scientists have warned that teenagers are more susceptible to mobile phone addiction because their brains are still developing, and that excessive use can completely rewire them.
At this point in their lives, their prefrontal cortex (essentially the brain’s “control system,” Boffin explains) is still evolving, and the moment-to-moment young people get from scrolling social media is still evolving. overly dependent on satisfaction.
during an episode of ITV tonight In this program, experts analyzed MRI scans to show how young people’s brains respond to pleasurable experiences such as flicking through TikTok or Instagram.
Ciara McCabe, a professor of neuroscience and mental health, explained that while adults with fully developed brains know when “enough is enough,” young people these days aren’t programmed that way. .
As a result, teens become accustomed to regular stimulation from checking in to online communities, making them more susceptible to addictive behaviors.
Instead of experiencing joy in real life, they seek a quick fix for a dopamine surge.
MRI scan reveals how teenagers’ brains respond differently to smartphone and social media use compared to adults (ITV)
“When you’re using a device, like a smartphone, and you’re using a fun or rewarding app, the parts of your brain associated with reward are activated,” McCabe said, according to the Mirror.
“When you look at your smartphone as an adult, obviously your brain’s reward system is activated, but you also have a fully developed prefrontal cortex, which is like a control system.
“There is evidence to suggest that the adolescent and teenage brain responds differently than the adult brain, especially to challenging experiences.
“This is probably because parts of the prefrontal cortex are not yet fully developed in young people and adolescents.”
She explained that this further increases the risk of becoming addicted to social media, as teenagers’ brains have become accustomed to the constant dopamine hit they receive while online.
It disrupts their reward systems, while many of us who had device-free childhoods and now boast fully developed prefrontal cortexes are less susceptible to the urges we get from scrolling social media. I have
Professor McCabe explained that young people are at risk of becoming addicted to devices because of the way their brains respond (ITV)
Other studies have found similar results, with a 2022 US study suggesting that the brains of teenagers who use smartphones constantly develop differently. .
Experts at the University of North Carolina previously explained that young people who check online platforms 20 times a day become “hypersensitive” to social feedback from their peers.
This habit was associated with subsequent changes in how their brains responded to the world around them.
Mitch Prinstein, co-author of the study and chief scientific officer of the American Psychological Association, said: “Most adolescents are exposed to technology and social media during one of the most critical periods of their lives for brain development. Start using it.
“Our research shows that checking behavior on social media can have important long-term effects on adolescents’ neurodevelopment. It is important to consider this when understanding the benefits and potential harms associated with its use.”
After all, there may be some things that are best left to adults.
