Social media and young minds

One of the most profound effects of social media on young minds is its impact on attention and concentration. 
| Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

While walking down the street, I noticed a five-year-old child sitting next to his mother, fully engrossed in his mother’s phone and scrolling through reels. It reminded me about my own childhood, when I used to play for hours in our neighbourhood playground, so immersed in the fun that my mother had to drag me home every evening. Today, screens captivate a child’s attention allowing parents a rare moment of respite.

It provoked my thoughts about the growing use of smartphones and social media among children. Today’s generation has everything handed to them on a silver platter, and at the centre of it all lies a fascinating, luminous device — the smartphone. Exposing children to smartphones and social media at an early age is reshaping childhood development in ways we are only beginning to understand.

Studies increasingly state that social media can be detrimental to a child’s brain. Biologically speaking, usage of social media triggers the release of dopamine hormone (the feel-good chemical). Prolonged exposure to social media deregulates the dopamine and serotonin neurotransmitter pathways in a child’s developing brain. Many researchers have even draw parallels between the addictive effects of social media and substances such as nicotine or cocaine. These are lethal for the cognitive development of a child.

Cognitive development, simply put, refers to the capacity of the brain to acquire knowledge, solve problems and make decisions. During early childhood, the brain is highly malleable and receptive to learning. Activities such as physical play, puzzles, and face-to-face interactions with peers are essential to foster crucial cognitive skills. Nowadays, children spend more time playing games on digital platforms or chatting with friends on social media.

One of the most profound effects of social media on young minds is its impact on attention and concentration. Social media platforms are designed with such algorithms that continuously push content. This promotes a “scroll-culture” where children skim through information, seldom engaging with it deeply. This constant dependence on digital devices undermines their ability to store and retain information in long-term memory. Rather than cultivating memory recall, children increasingly rely on search engines and cloud storage, bypassing the mental effort of remembering. In addition, the multitasking nature of social media, where children can switch from one app to another, further hinders their ability to concentrate on one task at a time. It leads to cognitive overload and makes it harder for the young minds to process and retain information.

Moreover, children glued to screens miss out on essential opportunities to learn how to manage their emotions and impulses. Boredom, which might seem like a negative state to avoid, is essential for children as it teaches them to manage frustration, foster creativity and develop coping mechanisms. The value of human interaction in this context cannot be understated. Charles Nelson, a Harvard neuroscientist, studied that until children begin to speak, they rely on non-verbal communication and learn to interpret emotions by the facial expression of their parents. This is essential for brain development, yet it is slowly getting eroded by digital distractions.

The impact of social media extends beyond cognitive development into emotional health. Research suggests a strong correlation between excessive screen time and an increase in anxiety, depression, and loneliness among children. Social media presents an idealised version of life. Children, influenced by the carefully curated images, are increasingly striving to meet unattainable ideals, thus robbing them of their natural innocence and burdening them with the weight of expectations they are too young to bear. This “online perfectionism” precedes anxiety and reduce their sense of self-worth. Cyberbullying further exacerbates these issues, causing greater emotional distress.

The question arises: How can we strike a balance between social media use and healthy cognitive development?

Mitch Prinstein, a clinical psychologist, advises children under 13 should not use social media. Emotional maturity is essential to navigate the complexities of these platforms responsibly. Parents, caregivers, and educators must take an active role in guiding children’s digital experiences. Gradual exposure to digital media, starting with educational content, can help complement traditional learning methods. Open communication between parents and children about online pressures, peer influence is vital. Educational institutions should incorporate digital literacy into their curricula, teaching the importance of critical thinking, the consequences of overexposure to screens, and how to engage meaningfully with online content.

By creating a balanced digital environment, we can equip the next generation with the tools they need to survive in a digital world while still nurturing the foundational cognitive skills required for long-term success. The goal is to nurture children into emotionally intelligent individuals, capable of managing the complexities of both the real and virtual worlds.

[email protected]