Is Facebook damaging your brain?

A leading neuroscientist warns of negative changes to the 21st century mind as a result of using social networking sites like Facebook. Changes include infantilisation, attention deficiency, selfishness, erosion of identity and an inability to empathise with others.

Interview with neuroscientist Lady Susan Greenfield, Professor of Synaptic Pharmacology at Lincoln College, Oxford and Director of the Royal Institution.

More here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/feb/24/social-networking-site-changing-chil...


_

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Brain
• Mind
• Development
• Damage
• Facebook
• Bebo
• Myspace
• Twitter
• Social
• Networking
• Virtual
• World
• Neuroscience
• Synapse
• Screen
• Life
• Internet
• Online
• Friends
• Friendship
• Relationship
• Children
• Child
• Health
• Interaction
• Interface
• Conversation
• Infantilisation
• Attention
• Deficit
• ADHD
• Drugs
• Chemical
• Imbalance
• Sensationalism
• Personality
• Disorder
• Identity
• Distortion
• Artificial
• Gaming
• Cyber
• Mental
• Illness
• 21st
• Century
• Technology
• Dehumanisation
• Computer
• Professor
• Susan
• Greenfield
• Neuroscientist

[AnduinX]

For me, personally I think my attention problems were caused more by excessive computer gaming then they were by talking on forums.

I used to be a very hardcore gamer. Gaming in excess can mimic a drug in addictiveness. Games offer instant gratification and stimulate the brain - and over time I found my brain would try to filter out less stimulating information and my mind would often wander.

My attention span improved dramatically when I took a step back and limited my game time.

[versus79]

She's absolutely right.

[littlemargrett]

Not only it can make ur attention span shorter, also cause problems in reality. my sister is in grade school and there was a program last week, it was about cyber-bullying. The girl was getting so mad that 1 day her mom found the girl in her closet.... dead.

[crazypianolady]

It's all well and good saying this, but she needs to get proper scientific evidence, not just circumstantial evidence and saying 'isn't it funny how autism/ADD rates have increased when facebook/twitter etc came along'. Our scientific world doesn't work on coincidences! Doesn't anyone remember their parents saying "TV gives you square eyes"...? ...

[grisgrisy]

love the video really good

[msjessypp]

love the video really good

[snoke4love]

Interesting video and very informative

[sprattysy]

interesting video and very informative

[khijasmith]

interesting video and very informative

[msjessypp]

really informative and interesting

[TwistedMind6969]

I deleted facebook years ago and my personal relationships have grown stronger since then. I communicate strictly through e-mail or texts & calls. I have all the info from the people that really matter to me.

I've been able to concentrate more in my family and my personal and professional development.

Before that, I wasted most of my time playing games on facebook, etc.

Facebook YOU ARE OUT of my life forever...

[heikkala2797]

LOL, they said the same thing about television...which IMO is much worse, at least when you interact with people through the written or spoken words you are engaging your brain not mindlessly watching something....this is way to simplistic of a view. Autism rates have increased along with pollution, mainly heavy metals and toxins in our water and air...I can agree spending to much time in virtual relationships blur the lines of reality for some. I know many of mine IRL...