Neurological Responses to Social Media: Implications for the Future

In Buzzfeed's recent post, "How Surfing the Internet Mimics Daydreaming in Your Brain*," Jennifer Malise explores the neurology behind our sometimes euphoric response to browsing the internet. As Malise notes, there is a specific part of the brain known as the basal ganglia that, when activated, releases dopamine. This neurotrasmitter is associated with pleasure and rewards, and when it is released will motivate individuals to repeat the behavior that releases said chemical.  The release of dopamine has been linked to addiction, and Malise postulates that this may be this can result in a desire to continue web browsing. It is my hypothesis that this in fact leads to compulsive checking and rechecking of social media sites that will have a serious impact on our society.

The Link Between Dopamine and Addiction
To illustrate how powerful dopamine is, consider individuals who are addicted to opiates such as heroin, oxycodone, and oxycontin. These drugs release large amounts of dopamine when ingested (up to ten times the normal level), and when those levels begin to subside, there is an overwhelming urge to continue use of the substance in order to regain those levels. When drug addiction is concerned, the continued use of opiates eventually desensitize the neurons in the brain that are affected by dopamine, and increase amounts of the drug are needed.

The Link Between Being Online and Daydreaming
When you let your mind wander and get lost in a daydream, do you often find yourself smiling? Relaxed? Calm? This break we take from the everyday hustle and bustle actually allow us to utilize other areas of the brain (think of the logical left brain versus the creative right brain), and in particular, our basal ganglia is activated. The relaxation we feel when we browse the internet, then, is similar to the serenity we find in daydreaming, and is caused by the release of the pleasure increasing dopamine.

The Potential for Internet and Social Media Addiction
While the levels of dopamine released from internet usage is not nearly as high as that of opiate usage, there is still evidence that enough of this neurotransmitter is released in order to motivate individuals to continue to remain online. And as Malise notes, when those levels begin to decline, we are inspired to act in a way that will again release a happy feeling. For an addict, that action is using. For internet browsers, it is finding a new website, or re-checking already viewed websites.

What are the Implications of All of This: My Opinion
When we consider websites that are updated frequently, social media sites immediately come to mind. These are sites that are updated within seconds of your most recent view. If looking at these sites results in a happy feeling, then re-checking these sites multiple times will lead to more of that happy feeling. We all know someone who is "attached to their phone," constantly checking who has updated their status, who has "liked" their posts, and rushing to update their own site. It is my belief that the "high" felt from this web-surfing is not limited to the internet, but can extend to the use of smartphones, particularly for texting.

Consider the most basic definition of addiction: continued use of a substance or a behavior despite negative consequences.  Many teens and young adults have continued to spend hours of time on social media sites despite declining grades in school, fewer face to face interactions with peers, and impaired social and communication skills. Other negative consequences can include loss of privileges from parents if internet time exceeds an acceptable amount of time. For adults, it is not uncommon for individuals to be written up at work for having their cellphones on them while on the job, despite knowing that this is strictly prohibited. These may seem innocuous, but I encourage you to consider many car accidents have been caused by distracted driving, particularly texting while driving. Furthermore, many recent suicides of young adults have been precipitated by bullying via social media sites. Even those who are victims of cyber-bullying, social media remains a large part of their lives.

We are heading towards a society that is ruled by social media, and those who spend the majority of their day updating and checking these sites have become the norm rather than the exception. The consequences of such a shift in communication and lifestyle can be imagined, but without research, we cannot predicted how we will be effected. Studies in this area are scant, and it is my hope to bring the importance of this topic to the surface with my own research.

I Want to Hear From You!
 Do you know anyone in your life who can't seem to separate from their computer or cell phone? Do you feel as though you yourself have a difficult time walking away from the internet? What consequences, if any, have you experienced? What consequences do you think the frequent use of social media will have on our society?


*This blog is not associated with Buzzfeed. All material referenced in "How Surfing the Internet Mimics Daydreaming in Your Brain" belong to Jennifer Malise.