What the Internet is Doing to Young Minds

Posted on May 31, 2014

There's no evidence that typical levels of internet use harms adolescent brains, according to a new review of 134 studies.

On the contrary, the report, to be published in the journal Trends in Cognitive Science, finds some positives associated with normal internet use.

Many of the scare stories about the effects of the internet on the brain are based on studies of those using it excessively, which only affects around 5% of adolescents.

In fact, this review points to some of the benefits of using the internet. For example, studies have found:

- Higher internet use amongst 14-24 year-olds has been linked to greater participation in real-world activities like clubs and sports.

- Communicating with friends through the internet has been shown to improve the social connectedness of adolescents.

- Being part of a highly connected network can help people solve problems.


Category(s):Child Development

Source material from Psy Blog