What the experts say II.

How much time do teenagers spend on social media?

It is commonly known that people spend a lot of time on social media, watching TV or browsing the internet, but what is the actual time spent online? Recent studies in the United States showed, that teens spend around nine hours on media for their enjoyment (not including school work).
There is a big difference between the gender of teenagers which affects the choice of media. Girls usually spend more time on social media (around 40 minutes), while boys tend to play more video games. Teens use social media not just during their free time but also at school or while doing their homework. As it is mentioned in the article by Kelly Wallace: “Nearly two-thirds say watching TV or texting makes no difference and more than 50% feel the same way when it comes to social media” (2015). However studies at Stanford show, that this type of multitasking negatively affects the quality of studying and makes the activity less effective (Wihbey, 2011). The instant connection to the world and social media can distract teenagers from studying and make it harder fro them to focus on given tasks.


Sources:
Wihbey, J. (2011). Cognitive control in media multitaskers. Journalist’s Resource.
Retrieved from:
https://journalistsresource.org/studies/society/internet/cognitive-control-in-media-multitaskers
Wallace, K. (2015). Teens spend a 'mind-boggling' 9 hours a day using media, report says. CNN news.

Retrieved from: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/11/03/health/teens-tweens-media-screen-use-report/

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