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Youth

Slight Social Media Use Linked to Lower Literacy and Poor Memories in Preteens

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Recent research suggests that even minimal social media use in preteens can have insidious effects on their cognitive abilities, including lower literacy and poor memories. A study published in JAMA found that preteens who used social media, even in small amounts, performed lower on reading and vocabulary tests compared to those who did not use social media. The study, conducted by pediatrician Jason Nagata of the University of California, San Francisco, used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, which has been following thousands of preteens as they go through adolescence.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that social media use had a perceivable effect on adolescent cognitive ability, with those who used social media performing lower on reading and vocabulary tests compared to non-users.
  • Even low increasing users, who spent about one hour a day on social media by age 13, performed on average 1 to 2 points lower on reading and memory tasks compared to non-social media users.
  • High increasing users, who spent about three or more hours a day on social media by age 13, performed much lower than the non-users.
  • The study highlights the importance of limiting social media use in preteens, as it can have long-lasting effects on their cognitive abilities.
  • Gamified social media apps are designed to create addictive patterns, leading to high levels of addiction-like behaviors among preteens and young teens.
  • Some state policymakers have stepped up to protect children by passing age verification laws or requiring parental consent for children to create a social media account.

Statistics:

  • 58% of children in the study used "very low amounts or no social media".
  • 37% of children were classified as "low increasing" levels of social media, spending about an hour each day on social media by age 13.
  • 6% of children were classified as the "high increasing social media group", spending about three or more hours a day on social media by age 13.
  • Students on average spend about a quarter of their school day on their phones.
  • Recent national exam scores show declines mapping to the advent of the smartphone, with only one in four high school seniors able to successfully calculate a restaurant check and tip.

Sources:

  • JAMA
  • The Center of the American Experiment

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