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http://motherboard.vice.com/read/so-texting-can-actually-boost-your-self-esteem

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We often hear about how the internet is bumming us out, but it's not all bad: Recent research suggests that, by making us more candid, chatting online is pulling us closer to our family and friends.

Sometimes people don't feel very confident, and sometimes people feel alone, or sad, or all three at once. These problems are old, and the internet is relatively new, but that doesn't mean it's without ill effects. Regularly, reports roll in that find too much internet use might make us depressed, too much Twitter will cause your divorce, and Facebook can make us lonely.

Bad health effects will always get good press, but there is also plenty of research on the positive influence the internet and its social platforms can have on our well being. Mental health is complex, and the question of how we're affected by our time online is not yet settled.

A new study published this week in the journal Computers in Human Behavior found that computer-based communication-including messaging, email, and Facebook-may positively influence self-esteem more than a telephone call or talking in person.

It turns out we don't just over-share with strangers on computers: we share more with people close to us, and that can be beneficial.

Many complaints about new technology are as old as the letter or the telegraph

Previous studies on self-esteem and the internet have focused on frequency and duration of use, with mixed results. Dr. Amy Gonzales, an assistant professor at Indiana University Bloomington who has published on the positive effects of Facebook on self-esteem, designed her latest study to emphasize the meaningfulness of social interaction conducted on computers.

"Researchers and everyday people alike often have the impression that computer mediated communication is somehow less valuable for social connection than face-to-face communication," she said. "Yet many complaints about new technology are as old as the letter or the telegraph, suggesting that they may not hold water."

Participants in the study were given a 1997 model Palm Pilot that rang 6-10 times every day with a prompt to complete a short survey about their two most recent social interactions. They also had to score the meaningfulness of the interaction in five laconic categories: intimacy, I shared, they shared, quality, satisfaction.

(Because you're certainly wondering, the PDAs were chosen because they can collect data without connecting to any other study-compromising apps, as a smartphone would. In the paper, Gonzales explains that "The Palm Pilot was chosen as a data collection tool because it time-stamped each survey without enabling new forms of digital communication.")

The score ensured that meaningful interactions, those likely to affect self-esteem, were separated from day-to-day interactions: a Facebook chat with a close friend wouldn't be compared with an email to customer service.

"I wanted to explore this issue by following a handful of people over a few days to see how meaningful their conversations were in different media, and how those conversations affected self-esteem," Gonzales said.

After six days of recording, the PDAs were returned for data collection. The study found that compared with meaningful face-to-face conversation and phone calls, text based communication on cell phones, email, or Facebook had a larger positive effect on self-esteem.

Sharing is vital to healthy relationships, the kind that boost self-esteem, and nothing prompts sharing like the internet. Some studies have pointed to the reduced social pressure and increased anonymity afforded by computers as driving this phenomenon. Others suggest that the absence of in-person social cues can cause people to interpret computer-based messages as more intimate, driving their own disclosure.

The good news is that while much of this disclosure ends up in YouTube comments, it also makes its way into personal conversations, where it can help people build the kind of healthy relationships that sustain them.

"At minimum, these findings indicate that digital technology is not an impoverished substitute for meaningful face to face conversation," writes Gonzales in the study.

"Instead these data suggest that digital, text-based technologies may be one of the best ways to reap the psychological benefits of interpersonal communication for self-esteem," she continues.

These benefits are also more widely distributed than ever. The overwhelming majority of the world's population is subscribed to a mobile number and able to access SMS messaging.

The study notes that we still do most of our communication in person: 60 percent of all interactions occurred face to face, which Gonzales says is a similar number to studies conducted a decade ago. But the tendency to share more personal information through messaging suggests the 20 percent of talking that occurs on computers can be extremely valuable in building and maintaining relationships.

So while spending an entire day tinkering with your Facebook profile or obsessively refreshing your Gmail is probably won't make you feel good, keep the chat window open. It could be a boon for your self-esteem.

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So Texting Can Actually Boost Your Self-Esteem

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We often hear about how the internet is bumming us out, but it's not all bad: Recent research suggests that, by making us more candid, chatting online is pulling us closer to our family and friends. Sometimes people don't feel very confident, and sometimes people feel alone, or sad, or all three at once.

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http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/texting-likely-improve-self-esteem-face-face-communication/202530

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/29/social-media-student-athletes_n_7470738.html

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Madison Holleran's online persona depicted the life of a thriving college freshman, filled with friends, family and a love for running track. But behind the social media facade, the student athlete was dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts. On Jan. 17, 2014, Holleran, a 19-year-old University of Pennsylvania student, leapt off a nine story parking garage in Philadelphia.

Holleran's story is not unique. According to ESPN, which dived into Holleran's life for its "Split Image" piece earlier this month, 35 student athletes took their own lives between 2004 and 2012.

Clinical psychologist Ramani Durvasula told HuffPost Live that social media profiles rarely paint a complete picture -- particularly because users rarely post about experiencing "distress" or "anxiety."

"People actually think that social media is actually a clear window into somebody's life. It's not," Durvasula said. "And so parents, especially parents who may be at a distance from their child, probably think everything's just great if they're literally going just on social media."

These expertly curated profiles have exacerbated the intense pressure to succeed that student athletes face both in the classroom and on the field, Durvasula added.

"It's actually quite unprecedented. ... We engage in social comparison, but they're sort of comparing these ideal selves. It's a contest to see whose ideal life is better than the other person's," the psychologist told host Alex Berg. "It's exhausting. I think young people are actually exhausting themselves in the process of trying to outdo each other in these lives they are living online."
Watch the full HuffPost Live conversation about the effects of social media and the pressure to succeed here. Sign up here for Live Today, HuffPost Live's new morning email that will let you know the newsmakers, celebrities and politicians joining us that day and give you the best clips from the day before!

BEFORE YOU GO

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How Social Media Can Hide Signs Of Trouble Among Students

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Madison Holleran's online persona depicted the life of a thriving college freshman, filled with friends, family and a love for running track. But behind the social media facade, the student athlete was dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts. On Jan. 17, 2014, Holleran, a 19-year-old University of Pennsylvania student, leapt off a nine story parking garage in Philadelphia.

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http://sundial.csun.edu/2015/03/to-like-or-not-to-like-how-social-media-effects-self-esteem/

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Social media is a prominent form of communication, and it gives us entertainment with other posts, pictures and updates.

As we scroll through our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter feeds, we choose to either "like" or ignore what others post. Considering most people in this generation have some form of social media account, a good amount of time is spent on these sites, and it has a psychological effect on people.

Researchers find that the more time people spend on social media, the more depressed they become when comparing their lives to others. By constantly referencing the pictorial perfection that is portrayed through social media accounts, it makes people feel bad about their own lives for not seeming as exciting and perfect.

On top of feeling depressed by comparing our lives to others, depending on the amount of likes and dislikes we do and do not receive, the depression may intensify.

People use social media as a way to get attention from others. Those that are not getting as many likes as others, are seen as less popular and less appealing to the rest of the world.

CSUN journalism major, April Preciado, says that getting likes serves as an ego boost.

"I feel like it may help a person's self esteem go up because they're getting likes," Preciado said. "They feel like 'wow, I guess I am attractive or I make good points' on whatever he or she posted."

She continued, saying that getting likes on her posts makes her feel like others are listening and interested in what she has to say or show.

"We feel like as if we are important or hold some kind of title because people are listening to us and they agree with whatever we are saying," she said. "Truth be told, I feel like everyone loves the attention at the end of the day."

Preciado posts articles that she writes and says that when she gets likes on them, she feels empowered.

"I use it as a form of motivation to keep going strong and not give up," she said.

However, not all people care too much about the likes they receive. Twenty-one-year-old, kinesiology major, Spencer Schutt, posts updates and statuses to relate to others rather than use the likes to boost his self-worth.

"It isn't a matter of feeding my ego," Schutt said. "It's more of a way to see if people see what I see or understand what I do. It's a form of connection in a sense."

Despite the fact that not everyone is obsessed about how many likes they get, studies have linked the effect of likes on your brain to that of taking drugs for recreational pleasure.

When getting likes, the reward system in the brain is activated and releases dopamine, causing people to associate likes with the same pleasure one may feel from taking narcotics.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, studies show that a lack of likes is also linked to depression in some who feel they go unnoticed, are not important and are not well-liked.

Twenty-two-year-old child development major, Joyce Dyels, affirms the belief that a lack of likes adds to people's low self-worth and overall unhappy outlook on their own lives.

"I feel like if people post selfies where they're all dressed up and don't get any likes, it makes them feel unattractive," Dyels said. "The more likes someone gets, the higher their self-esteem is, because they feel liked by other people."

The influence that social media has on today's population is staggering. Oftentimes, people don't consider the tremendous influence it can have on someone's outlook and overall mood.

"It's crazy how much social media can affect people's view of themselves," Dyels said.

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To like, or not to like: how social media affects self-esteem

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Social media is a prominent form of communication, and it gives us entertainment with other posts, pictures and updates. As we scroll through our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter feeds, we choose to either "like" or ignore what others post.

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http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/16/living/teens-on-social-media-like-and-fomo-anxiety-digital-life/

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Editor's note: Kelly Wallace is CNN's digital correspondent and editor-at-large covering family, career and life. She is a mom of two girls. Read her other columns on digital life and follow her reports at CNN Parents and on Twitter.
(CNN) -- Ask any teen whether he or she suffers from social media anxiety, and the answer will probably be no.

That's what happened when six teens and adolescents -- five from New York and one from Los Angeles -- got together recently for a unique weeklong workshop at the offices of SheKnows.com, a leading women's lifestyle media platform.

The teens didn't think that Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, their go-to social networks, added much extra anxiety to their lives. But then the conversation turned to the importance of likes and the fear of missing out, also known by the acronym FOMO.
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Sadie, a 10th-grader in Brooklyn, New York, said she'd never heard the acronym before but is definitely familiar with the feeling.

"You see on, I guess you could say, Facebook or even Snapchat ... you see your friends hanging out with other people, and you're like 'Oh, I'm alone right now,'" she said. "And even if there's no way you could get to them even if you wanted to, it still just makes you feel bad or lonely or sad."
The upside of selfies: Social media not all bad for kids
Olivia, 12, said she sometimes feels that way, too. "If there's an event that maybe I'm not at or my friends are hanging out with each other ... sometimes I kind of feel, I guess, kind of left out."
The quest for the '100 club'
The teens and tweens also agreed there is a constant -- and at times anxiety-inducing -- fixation with likes.

"People will be like, 'Oh, are you in the 100 club?' " Sadie said of getting 100 or more likes for a post.

The 15-year-old told the story of a friend who changed her profile picture and didn't get the 200 likes she normally gets on the first night whenever she makes such a change.

"She was freaking out," she said.

The more likes, the greater the social standing you appear to have, the girls said.

"People feel that when they get a lot of likes. It means that they're pretty and popular, and that makes them feel better," Sadie said.
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Said Olivia: "I really do notice that a lot of people who get tons of likes and have tons of followers on Instagram and Facebook do tend to think that they are really popular and that everyone knows who they are, when ... all their followers haven't even met them before."

Likes translate into validation and attention, said Diana Graber, co-founder of CyberWise.org, a digital literacy site for parents, educators, and tweens and teens. Graber also teaches "cybercivics" to middle schoolers in Aliso Viejo, California.

When she overhears conversations of students, she says, she very often hears things like, "Check this out; I have this many likes."

"It's almost like a little competition for the number of likes," Graber said. "I think that's anxiety-ridden, because you get likes based on how many friends you have, and you have to keep posting things to get more friends and it's like a vicious circle."

Graber says this phenomenon was illustrated by a recent assignment in her classroom. She asked her students to try to go 24 hours without social media during one of three weekends.
Middle school transition tough for teens and parents
Of the 28 students, only one was able to do it. The teens couldn't stand not knowing what their friends were doing, Graber said.

"It was very hard. I kept getting tempted by my phone and my friends," wrote one student, who said he could last only five hours in his social-media-free zone.
Research: Social media can make you feel sad
Studies show that social media can actually make you feel bad about yourself. According to a study last year by the University of Michigan, the more people checked Facebook, the worse they felt about their lives.

Another study, this one by German researchers, found that a third of people felt worse after spending time on Facebook, especially if they spent time viewing vacation photographs.

Helping students realize the impact of social media on them was a big goal of the summer workshop held by SheKnows.com. That workshop also served as a pilot for a program called Hatch, which was just launched by the company.

As part of the new effort, kids ages 9 to 16 create videos for adults, said Samantha Skey, SheKnows.com's chief revenue officer. The informal tag line for the program is "content for grown-ups made by kids on a mission," she said.
What counts as a real name on Facebook
"It's content by kids, but it's really meant to address topics of interest to their parents in many cases," she said. "The mission component is focused on teaching them digital literacy and citizenship while also allowing them to play with digital storytelling."

Reese, an 11th-grader in Los Angeles who participated in the Hatch pilot program, said she didn't really give much thought to the notion that digital media can impact people emotionally until there was a discussion about its psychological effect.

"And I found out that I am kind of neurotic about some things," she said. "For example, when I text someone and I think that I might have made them upset because they didn't reply right away, I automatically assume that they got mad at me."

To prevent that from happening, she admits closing nearly all texts with a smiley, exclamation point or LOL.

Sadie, who also participated in the Hatch pilot, says she now looks at Snapchat and Facebook a bit differently.

"I know (they) can also have a negative psychological effect that I feel like didn't occur to me as much," she said.
Starting conversations early
The takeaway from the workshop, said Skey, was that there is a "huge opportunity" to talk with teens about social media. "A lot of them say that educators are not talking to them about media and social media unless they're telling them not to do something."

Talking about social media early and often is key, says Graber, who did a demonstration this month for principals and other educators from across the state of California on how she teaches digital literacy and citizenship to teens.
How to cut your child's cell phone addiction
"I always say to parents: It's not one conversation. It's a thousand small conversations, and it is really starting young," she said. Take an interest in what your children are doing online and have them show you why they like it, she said.

"And then you are in the circle," she added. "It's pretty easy to get there but you have to start when they are young."

Graber, who starts teaching students in the sixth grade, said it often takes her students until the eighth grade to figure out all the social media angst "ain't worth it."

"It's a huge trajectory to get there ... when they start saying, 'Gosh that's a waste of my time.' "

Do you get anxious if you don't get a certain number of likes on social media posts? Tell Kelly Wallace on Twitter or CNN Living on Facebook.

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Editor's note: Kelly Wallace is CNN's digital correspondent and editor-at-large covering family, career and life. She is a mom of two girls. Read her other columns on digital life and follow her reports at CNN Parents and on Twitter. (CNN) -- Ask any teen whether he or she suffers from social media anxiety, and the answer will probably be no.

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http://lhslance.org/2013/features/cell-phone-use-really-affect-communication-skills/

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http://www.livestrong.com/article/532976-how-has-texting-affected-the-social-lives-of-teens/

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Jayne Blanchard

Jayne Blanchard's work as a journalist and editor has appeared in "The Washington Post," "Psychology Today," "Brides," "Newsday," "USA Today," "Cosmopolitan," "ADAM," "Style" magazine and myriad other publications. In addition to writing about health, travel and women's issues, she has also worked as a movie reviewer and theater critic and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland.

Talking on the phone is so old school. Most teens today prefer texting. About 75 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds in the United States own cellphones, and 75 percent of these teens send text messages, according to the Pew Research Center's Pew 2010 Internet and American Life Project. More than half of these teens text daily. With texting outpacing other forms of communication, you have to wonder how this technology shift alters the social lives and behavior of today's teens.

Video of the Day

Two-thirds of the teens surveyed in the Pew research study reported that they are more apt to text with their cellphones than use them for spoken conversation. Their thumbs are flying, since half of the teens who responded send 50 or more text messages per day and one in three sends more than 100. In general, girls text more garrulously than boys, sending and receiving 80 messages a day to the male teen's 30 messages.

Texting means teens are never alone. Feeling constantly connected to friends can be a social boon, but the 24/7 access and the perception of being always available does have its minuses, especially with miscommunication. For example, a teen may get angry at a friend for not responding immediately and constantly to messages, not taking into consideration that the absent texter may be asleep or driving. Incessant contact with friends and getting multiple opinions on every topic may impact teens' decision-making skills, since they may feel insecure or incapable of thinking things through on their own and trusting their judgment.

With more teens preferring text to talk, concerns rise over whether this phenomenon stunts emotional growth. A dearth of face-to-face conversations may keep teens from learning how to read facial expressions, body language or nuances in speech and develop empathy -- a skill learned from observing behavior in other people. Self-confidence also may be eroded by constant contact through texting, making teens overly dependent on friends and not fostering a sense of independence.

A study released in 2010 by the American Public Health Association reported that hyper-texting, texting more than 120 times a day, can lead to an increased risk of smoking, drinking and drug use, physical violence and sexual activity. Of the teens surveyed, the hyper-texters were twice as likely to have experimented with alcohol and three times more likely to have had sex than teens who messaged less often.

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How Has Texting Affected the Social Lives of Teens?

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Talking on the phone is so old school. Most teens today prefer texting. About 75 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds in the United States own cellphones, and 75 percent of these teens send text messages, according to the Pew Research Center's Pew 2010 Internet and American Life Project.

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http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/08/06/teens-technology-and-friendships/

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Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech

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Video games, social media and mobile phones play an integral role in how teens meet and interact with friends

This report explores the new contours of friendship in the digital age. It covers the results of a national survey of teens ages 13 to 17; throughout the report, the word "teens" refers to those in that age bracket, unless otherwise specified. The survey was conducted online from Sept. 25 through Oct. 9, 2014, and Feb. 10 through March 16, 2015, and 16 online and in-person focus groups with teens were conducted in April 2014 and November 2014.

For today's teens, friendships can start digitally: 57% of teens have met a new friend online. Social media and online gameplay are the most common digital venues for meeting friends

For American teens, making friends isn't just confined to the school yard, playing field or neighborhood - many are making new friends online. Fully 57% of teens ages 13 to 17 have made a new friend online, with 29% of teens indicating that they have made more than five new friends in online venues. Most of these friendships stay in the digital space; only 20% of all teens have met an online friend in person.

Boys are more likely than girls to make online friends: 61% of boys compared to 52% of girls have done so.

Older teens are also more likely than younger teens to make online friends. Some 60% of teens ages 15 to 17 have met a friend online, compared with 51% of 13- to 14-year-olds.

The most common spots for meeting friends online are social media sites like Facebook or Instagram (64% of teens who have made a friend online met someone via social media), followed by playing networked video games (36%). Girls who have met new friends online are more likely to meet them via social media (78% vs. 52% of boys), while boys are substantially more likely to meet new friends while playing games online (57% vs. 13% of girls).

Text messaging is a key component of day-to-day friend interactions: 55% of teens spend time every day texting with friends

The vast majority of teens (95%) spend time with their friends outside of school, in person, at least occasionally. But for most teens, this is not an everyday occurrence. Just 25% of teens spend time with friends in person (outside of school) on a daily basis.

For many teens, texting is the dominant way that they communicate on a day-to-day basis with their friends. Some 88% of teens text their friends at least occasionally, and fully 55% do so daily. Along with texting, teens are incorporating a number of other devices, communication platforms and online venues into their interactions with friends, including:

Instant messaging: 79% of all teens instant message their friends; 27% do so daily.

Social media: 72% of all teens spend time with friends via social media; 23% do so daily.

Email: 64% of all teens use email with friends; 6% do so daily.

Video chat: 59% of all teens video chat with their friends; 7% video chat with friends daily.

Video games: 52% of all teens spend time with friends playing video games; 13% play with friends daily.

Messaging apps: 42% of all teens spend time with friends on messaging apps such as Kik and WhatsApp; 14% do so every day.

Video games play a critical role in the development and maintenance of boys' friendships

Overall, 72% of teens ages 13 to 17 play video games on a computer, game console or portable device. Fully 84% of boys play video games, significantly higher than the 59% of girls who play games. Playing video games is not necessarily a solitary activity; teens frequently play video games with others. Teen gamers play games with others in person (83%) and online (75%), and they play games with friends they know in person (89%) and friends they know only online (54%). They also play online with others who are not friends (52%). With so much game-playing with other people, video gameplay, particularly over online networks, is an important activity through which boys form and maintain friendships with others:

Much more than for girls, boys use video games as a way to spend time and engage in day-to-day interactions with their peers and friends. These interactions occur in face-to-face settings, as well as in networked gaming environments:

16% of boy gamers play in person with friends on a daily or near-daily basis, and an additional 35% do so weekly. That amounts to 42% of all teen boys ages 13 to 17.

34% of boy gamers play over the internet with friends on a daily or near-daily basis, and another 33% do so weekly. That amounts to 55% of all teen boys ages 13 to 17.

When playing games with others online, many teen gamers (especially boys) connect with their fellow players via voice connections in order to engage in collaboration, conversation and trash-talking. Among boys who play games with others online, fully 71% use voice connections to engage with other players (this compares with just 28% of girls who play in networked environments).

All this playing, hanging out and talking while playing games leads many teens to feel closer to friends.

78% of teen online gamers say when they play games online it makes them feel more connected to friends they already know. That amounts to 42% of all teens ages 13 to 17.

52% of online-gaming teens feel more connected to other gamers (whom they do not consider friends) they play with online. That amounts to 28% of all teens ages 13 to 17.

Gaming boys are more likely than girls to report feeling more connected to other networked gamers.

84% of networked-gaming boys feel more connected to friends when they play online, compared with 62% of girls.

56% of boy gamers feel more connected to people they play networked games with who are not friends, as do 43% of gaming girls.

Teen friendships are strengthened and challenged within social media environments

Social media also plays a critical role in introducing teens to new friends and connecting them to their existing friend networks. Some 76% of teens ages 13 to 17 use social media and:

Social media helps teens feel more connected to their friends' feelings and daily lives, and also offers teens a place to receive support from others during challenging times.

83% of teen social media users say social media makes them feel more connected to information about their friends' lives.

70% of social media-using teens feel better connected to their friends' feelings through social media.

68% of teen social media users have had people on the platforms supporting them through tough or challenging times.

But even as social media connects teens to friends' feelings and experiences, the sharing that occurs on these platforms can have negative consequences. Sharing can veer into oversharing. Teens can learn about events and activities to which they weren't invited, and the highly curated lives of teens' social media connections can lead them to make negative comparisons with their own lives:

88% of teen social media users believe people share too much information about themselves on social media.

53% of social media-using teens have seen people posting to social media about events to which they were not invited.

42% of social media-using teens have had someone post things on social media about them that they cannot change or control.

21% of teen social media users report feeling worse about their own life because of what they see from other friends on social media.

Teens face challenges trying to construct an appropriate and authentic online persona for multiple audiences, including adults and peers. Consequently, many teens feel obligated to project an attractive and popular image through their social media postings.

40% of teen social media users report feeling pressure to post only content that makes them look good to others.

39% of teens on social media say they feel pressure to post content that will be popular and get lots of comments or likes.

Some conflict teens experience is instigated online

Girls are more likely to unfriend, unfollow and block former friends

When friendships end, many teens take steps to cut the digital web that connects them to their former friend. Girls who use social media or cellphones are more likely to prune old content and connections:

58% of teens who use social media or cellphones have unfriended or unfollowed someone they used to be friends with, and 45% of teens have blocked an ex-friend.

63% of girls who use social media or cellphones have unfriended or unfollowed an ex-friend, compared with 53% of boys.

53% of social media- or cellphone-using girls have blocked someone after ending a friendship, compared with 37% of boys.

Teens spend time with their closest friends in a range of venues. Texting plays a crucial role in helping close friends stay in touch

Along with examining the general ways in which teens interact and communicate with their friends, this report documents how and where teens interact with the friends who are closest to them. These "close friend" relationships loom large in the day-to-day social activities of teens' lives, as 59% of teens are in touch with their closest friend on a daily basis (with 41% indicating that they get in touch "many times a day").

School is the primary place teens interact with their closest friends. However, these best-friend interactions occur across a wide range of online and offline venues:

83% of teens spend time with their closest friend at school.

58% spend time with their closest friend at someone's house.

55% spend time with their closest friend online (such as on social media sites or gaming sites or servers).

Teens also use a wide range of communication tools to get in touch with their closest friend.

49% of teens say text messaging (including on messaging apps) is their first choice of platform for communicating with their closest friend.

20% say social media is their first-choice communication tool when talking with their closest friend.

13% say phone calls are the method they would choose first to talk with their closest friend.

6% say video games are their first-choice platform for talking with their closest friend.

Teens who live in lower-income households are more likely than higher-income teens to say they use social media to get in touch with their closest friend. Lower-income teens, from households earning less than $30,000 annually, are nearly evenly split in how they get in touch with these friends, with 33% saying social media is the most common way they do so and 35% saying texting is their preferred communication method. Higher-income teens from families earning $30,000 or more per year are most likely to report texting as their preferred mode when communicating with their closest friend. Modestly lower levels of smartphone and basic phone use among lower-income teens may be driving some in this group to connect with their friends using platforms or methods accessible on desktop computers.

Smartphone users have different practices for communicating with close friends

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of teens have access to a smartphone, and smartphone-using teens have different practices for communicating with close friends. Teens with smartphones rely more heavily on texting, while teens without smartphones are more likely to say social media and phone calls are preferred modes for reaching their closest friend.

Girls are more likely to use text messaging - while boys are more likely to use video games - as conduits for conversations with friends

Compared with boys, girls tend to communicate more often with friends via texting and instant messaging:

62% of girls spend time with friends every day via text messaging, compared with 48% of boys.

32% of girls spend time with friends every day using instant messaging, compared with 23% of boys.

On the other hand, boys are much more likely than girls to interact and spend time with friends while playing video games:

74% of teen boys talk with friends while playing video games together, while 31% of girls report the same.

22% of boys talk daily with friends while playing video games, compared with just 3% of girls.

Phone calls are less common early in a friendship, but are an important way that teens talk with their closest friends

Some 85% of teens say they spend time with friends by calling them on the phone, and 19% do so every day. The perceived intimacy of the phone call as a communication choice means teens are less likely to use it immediately upon meeting a new friend, but they often prefer it when talking to close friends.

About half of teens (52%) indicate that a phone number for calling is one of the first three things they would share with a new friend, but just 9% indicate that this is the first thing they would share.

And when teens want to talk to their closest friend, phone calls are the second most popular method overall, with 69% of teens citing phone calls as one of their three choices.

84% of black teens say phone calls are one of the three most common methods they use to get in touch with close friends, compared with 69% of whites and 63% of Hispanic teens.

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Video games, social media and mobile phones play an integral role in how teens meet and interact with friends This report explores the new contours of friendship in the digital age. It covers the results of a national survey of teens ages 13 to 17; throughout the report, the word "teens" refers to those in that age bracket, unless otherwise specified.

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http://www.artifex.org/~bonnie/351-roberson.pdf

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https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/artificial-maturity/201409/nomophobia-rising-trend-in-students

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Do you know this word? Nomophobia is a term describing a growing fear in today's world - the fear of being without a mobile device, or beyond mobile phone contact. Among today's high school and college students, it's on the rise. An increasing number of college students now shower with their cell phone. The average adolescent would rather lose a pinky-finger than a cell phone. A growing percentage text or tweet instead of actually talking to others.

Nomophobia is everywhere in industrialized nations. The term is an abbreviation for " no- mobile-phone ," which was coined during a 2010 study by the UK Post Office. The Post Office commissioned YouGov, a research organization, to look at anxieties suffered by mobile phone users. The study found that nearly 53 percent of mobile phone users in Britain tend to be anxious when they "lose their mobile phone, run out of battery or credit, or have no network coverage."

The study found that about 58 percent of men and 47 percent of women suffer from the phobia, and an additional 9 percent feel stressed when their mobile phones are off. The study sampled 2,163 people. Fifty-five percent of those surveyed cited keeping in touch with friends or family as the main reason that they got anxious when they could not use their mobile phones. The study compared stress levels induced by the average case of nomophobia to be on par with those of "wedding day jitters" and trips to the dentist.
In the U.S., it's gotten worse...

1. Sixty-five percent, or about two in three people, sleep with or next to their smart phones. (Among college students, it's even higher).

2. Thirty-four percent admitted to answering their cell phone during intimacy with their partner. (Hey, what happened to valuing the person you are with in-person?)

3. One in five people would rather go without shoes for a week than take a break from their phone. (It's a good way to lose your sole and your soul).

4. More than half never switch off their phone. (I'd call that an addiction).

5. A full 66 percent of all adults suffer from "nomophobia."

It's time to take a break
Whenever I find myself needing something in order to cope, I always check my lifestyle and my health. This may sound crazy, but my rule of thumb is that I don't allow myself to be brought under the control of anything. Outside of food, water and shelter, I guard myself against subjection to any addiction that begins to dictate my behavior. This includes technology. I recognize that cell phones, tablets, computers and other technology introduced in the future will make my life easier and enable me to work more efficiently. My principle, though, is this: Technology should be a servant, not a master.

So what should we do to model a balanced approach for students?

Be sure there are daily times you turn off the cell phone and experience either face-to-face conversations or solitude.

Balance screen time and in-person time each week. For every hour you invest in front of a screen, you invest in human contact.

Try a technology fast every month, where you actually go for a day or more without a computer, tablet or phone. You'll feel liberated.

Place your phone at least 15 feet away from you when you sleep at night. I realize you'll have to get up to push "snooze," but it's safer this way.

Block your day in time zones, where you spend time using technology, but also have blocks of time for organic, genuine interaction with people.

Do you see signs of nomophobia? What else would you add to my list above?

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Do you know this word? Nomophobia is a term describing a growing fear in today's world - the fear of being without a mobile device, or beyond mobile phone contact. Among today's high school and college students, it's on the rise. An increasing number of college students now shower with their cell phone.

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http://brandongaille.com/average-attention-span-statistics-and-trends/

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Average Attention Span Stats

When considering the average attention span of individuals, age is a determining factor of this. From babies to children to adults, the attention span of a child will get longer with age. The following statistics regarding average attention spans are outlined below.

Attention Span Statistics

According to The Associated Press the following interesting statistics regarding attention spans exist.

Attention Span Statistics
1. Attention spans have shrunk by 50% over the past decade.
2. Attention spans in 1998: 12 minutes.
3. Attention spans in 2008: 5 minutes.
4. Children diagnosed with ADHD: 9.5%

Causes of lost attention span
5. Stress: 18%
6. Decision Overload: 17%

Impact of lost attention span
7. Percentage of teens who forget major details: 25%
8. Percentage of people who forget their own birthday: 7%
9. Average number of times per hour an office worker checks their email: 30
10. Average length watched for a single internet video: 2.7 minutes

11. Average Attention of a Product Video
Commercial length time has been reduced from 15 seconds to a maximum of 30 seconds in recent times. Here is a listing of the average time and percentage the audience will watch a video for as according to Treepodia.com.

10 seconds or less: 89.61%
20 seconds or less: 80.41%
30 seconds or less: 66.16%
60 seconds or less: 46.44%
2 minutes or less: 23.71%
3 minutes or less: 16.62%
5 minutes or less: 9.42%

Based on the following averages, a third of the audience is lost by the 30 second mark. By a single minute into the video, more than half of the audience disappears. Finding ways to become more effective on time will help you maximize results.

Internet Browsing Statistics
12. Percent of page views that last less than 4 seconds: 17 %
13. Percent of page views that lasted more than 10 minutes: 4 %
14. Percent of words read on web pages with 111 words or less: 49 %
15. Percent of words read on an average (593 words) web page: 28 %
16. Users spend only 4.4 seconds more for each additional 100 words.

How to Kill Procrastination

A slideshow of over 60 tips to follow in order to deplete procrastination from your life and become more productive.

Social Media's Impact on Our Attention

With all the technology surrounding us, the following infographic outlines the ways to which social media has started to run our lives. From addiction to speeding past everything we do, the impact on our mind is exponential.

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17 Average Attention Span Statistics and Trends - BrandonGaille.com

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Average Attention Span Stats When considering the average attention span of individuals, age is a determining factor of this. From babies to children to adults, the attention span of a child will get longer with age. The following statistics regarding average attention spans are outlined below.

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Is the Internet really ruining our attention span?

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Is the Internet really ruining our attention span?

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Is The Internet Really Ruining Your Attention Span

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http://naturalsociety.com/attention-span-is-shortening-significantly-by-the-year-but-why/

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A study from Microsoft involving more than 2,000 people has found that the average attention span has dipped to a low 8 seconds - down from 12 seconds in 2000. A goldfish has an attention span of 9 seconds.
There are many effects from smartphones and the like on the human body which are never written about. Information technology (IT) is much more powerful in unrecognized ways than is generally acknowledged.

Because these various IT devices are often very close to a person's body, they can and do have profound effects on the human bioelectric field. The key factor in this ever-intensifying dynamic between human and technology is the length of time of daily interaction.

In other words, picking up a cellphone to make a couple of calls a day is one thing; being tied to your smartphone 24 hour a day, 7 days a week is something altogether different. Herein lies one of the key causes of the shrinking attention span. Additionally, constant exposure to cell phones near our heads may be dangerous.

Attention span is connected directly to the presence of mind necessary to sincerely engage in person-to-person interaction. How often do the younger generations eschew the focus of personal interaction for the sake of not missing the internet happening of the day? Things are now moving so quickly that many within the younger generations do not want to miss out on anything.

Consequently, their attention spans are being shortened to accommodate that next "BIG" event which can only be experienced on the internet or by way of the smartphone.
Related: 3 Powerful Natural Remedies for ADHD
Just how seriously is this trend moving in the wrong direction?

"Our attention spans aren't just down as a whole - we're having trouble focusing in general. Forty-four percent of study participants said they have to concentrate really hard to stay focused on tasks, and 37 percent said they're not able to make the best use of their time, which forces them to work late or on weekends.

The study also looked at how we use smartphones and found that 77 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds reach for their phone when they're bored, 52 percent check their phone every 30 minutes or less, and 79 percent use their phone while they're watching TV." [1]

If those numbers aren't alarming, it is what the future holds in store for those who come after these groups which may prove to have broadly negative societal ramifications.

First, living in American society has never been so complex and challenging on many levels. Something as simple as driving in city traffic has now become a major chore; not because there are more cars and trucks on the roads; rather, because of what people are doing in their vehicles when they should only be driving.

What's the real point here? Safety!

It is becoming more and more dangerous to drive down the street when the other driver is still putting on her makeup while drinking her coffee and pecking out a text message that was unnecessary in the first place. In the man's case, he's tying his tie or cutting his mustache. In any case, the attention is not being placed on that which requires it the most.

Particularly when individuals sleep with their smartphones is this societal challenge becoming a potentially serious problem. Answering calls and text messages throughout the night only further disrupts necessary sleep.

Making this a habit will ultimately cause sleep deprivation which will inevitably translate to accidents and poor work performance. (Loss of sleep also ages the brain.) That may not sound like a big deal if you work in a safe office environment; however, what happens if you're an Amtrak engineer?

Conclusion

The incidence of both ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) have been rising rapidly over the past couple of decades, just as Autism and Asperger's syndrome have seen a marked increase over the same time period. There are several cofactors for this, of which information technology is a primary one.

With each passing year, changes in society have been placing greater demands on the teenagers and young children to perform as adults. This pressure to keep up with everyone else is placing inordinate pressures on young people, some of whom are simply unable to cope.

Effective stress management, or lack thereof, has always been a major contributor to the ability or inability to focus. This in turn affects our attention span. Unavoidably, attention spans will continue to shorten as long as information technology is allowed to intrude on our lives 24/7.

Sources:

[1] Yahoo Health

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Study: Average Attention Span Now 8 Seconds - Lower than a Goldfish

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A study from Microsoft involving more than 2,000 people has found that the average attention span has dipped to a low 8 seconds - down from 12 seconds in 2000. A goldfish has an attention span of 9 seconds. There are many effects from smartphones and the like on the human body which are never written about.

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Multitasking is Ruining Your Attention Span Article & Video

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Multitasking is Ruining Your Attention Span Article & Video

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2768303/Do-use-smartphone-tablet-watching-TV-Then-brain-wasting-away.html

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People who multitask with multiple media devices have less grey matter

Grey matter is the part of the brain that processes information

Older studies found multitasking on media devices led to poor attention

Also linked to emotional problems such as depression and anxiety

Training the brain through learning can increase density of grey matter

Multitasking is thought to cost the world$450 billion (£278 billion) annually

If you are sending a text, watching the TV or listening to the radio, you may want to stop and give this your full attention.

Multi-tasking shrinks the brain, research suggests, and it could even be damaging your career.

A study found that men and women who frequently used several types of technology at the same time had less grey matter in a key part of the brain.

University of Sussex researchers said: 'Simultaneously using mobile phones, laptops and other media devices could be changing the structure of our brains.'

Worryingly, the part of the brain that shrinks is involved in processing emotion.

The finding follows research which has linked multi-tasking with a shortened attention span, depression, anxiety and lower grades at school.

The researchers began by asking 75 healthy men and women how often they divided their attention between different types of technology.

This could mean sending a text message while listening to music and checking email, or speaking on the phone while watching TV and surfing the web.z

The volunteers were then given brain scans which showed they had less grey matter in a region called the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC).

The findings held even when differences in personality were taken into account.

The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, is the first to make a link between multi-tasking and the structure of the brain.

Researcher Kep Kee Loh said: 'Media multi-tasking is becoming more prevalent in our lives today and there is increasing concern about its impacts on our cognition and social-emotional well-being.'

He added that more research is needed to prove that multi-tasking shrinks the brain.

This is because it is also possible that people with less grey matter in the ACC are more drawn to using lots of gadgets simultaneously.

Scientists have previously demonstrated brain structure can be altered on prolonged exposure to novel environments and experience.

Other studies have shown that training - such as learning to juggle or taxi drivers learning the map of London - can increase grey-matter densities in certain parts.

Experts have also warned of the harmful impact technology can have on our memory and attention span.

The University of California team commissioned a survey of more than 18,000 people aged between 18 and 99 and found 20 per cent had problems with memory.

Researchers were taken aback by the 14 per cent of 18 to 39-year-olds who also worried about their memories.

Multi-tasking with gadgets may shorten attention span, making it harder to focus and form memories, the researchers said, adding that youngsters may be particularly affected by stress.

SORRY CHAPS, YOUR BRAINS AREN'T MADE FOR MULTITASKING

A separate study by Stanford University backs the latest research that multi-tasking is less productive than doing one thing at a time.

After putting about 100 students through three tests, the researchers realised heavy multi-taskers are paying a big mental price.

People who multi-task, according to the research, are not only less efficient, but they also have difficulty in paying attention, recalling information and changing from one job to another.

The Stanford researchers compared groups of people based on their tendency to multitask and their belief that it helps their performance.

In each of their tests, the researchers split their subjects into two groups: those who regularly do a lot of media multi-tasking and those who don't.

In one experiment, the groups were shown sets of two red rectangles alone or surrounded by two, four or six blue rectangles.

Each configuration was flashed twice, and the participants had to determine whether the two red rectangles in the second frame were in a different position than in the first frame.

They were told to ignore the blue rectangles, and the low multi-taskers had no problem doing that.

But the high multi-taskers were constantly distracted by the irrelevant blue images. Their performance was horrible.

Because the high multi-taskers showed they couldn't ignore things, the researchers thought they were better at storing and organising information. Maybe they had better memories.

The second test proved that theory wrong. After being shown sequences of alphabetical letters, the high multi-taskers did a poor job at remembering when a letter was making a repeat appearance.

'The low multi-taskers did great,' researcher Eyal Ophir said. 'The high multitaskers were doing worse and worse the further they went along because they kept seeing more letters and had difficulty keeping them sorted in their brains.'

As well as damaging our brains, research by business planning group, Realisation, has found that trying to do too many things at once costs the global economy $450 billion (£278 billion) annually.

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Text while watching TV? Your brain could be wasting away

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People who multitask with multiple media devices have less grey matter Grey matter is the part of the brain that processes information Older studies found multitasking on media devices led to poor attention Also linked to emotional problems such as depression and anxiety Training the brain through learning can increase density of grey matter Multitasking is thought to cost the world$450 billion (£278 billion) annually If you are sending a text, watching the TV or listening to the radio, you may want to stop and give this your full attention.

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http://www.medicaldaily.com/human-attention-span-shortens-8-seconds-due-digital-technology-3-ways-stay-focused-333474

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In the digital age, where the news is limited to 140 characters and conversations take place in the form of emojis, our attention span has shortened. A recent study by Microsoft Corporation has found this digital lifestyle has made it difficult for us to stay focused, with the human attention span shortening from 12 seconds to eight seconds in more than a decade.

The rise of gadget use in the 21st century means our lives have become increasingly more digital at home, work, and school. In the U.S., nearly two-thirds of Americans are smartphone owners, with many users utilizing their phones for online access, according to a recent Pew Research Center poll. More than half of these smartphone users admit to using their phone in the past year to look up information about a health condition, but at what cost?

In the 54-page study, Microsoft sought to understand what impact technology and today's digital lives are having on attention spans. The researchers collected data from surveys of more than 2,000 Canadians over the age of 18, who played games online to determine the impact of pocket-sized devices and the increased availability of digital media and information are having on everyday life. The researchers also monitored over 100 people's brain activity with in-lab monitoring, using electroencephalograms (EEGs).

For the survey component, the researchers sought to gauge overall attention and gauge habits and perceptions by dividing the respondents into three equal sized groups based on performance - low, medium, and high attention - representing one-third of the sample. For the neurological component, participants' brain activity was recorded and behavior was filmed while they interacted with different media and performed several activities across devices and in different environments. EEGs were used to measure their attention levels and activities were mapped against tasks and behaviors to view how attention varied by screen, task, content type, and structure.

The findings revealed human attention span has fallen from an average of 12 seconds in the year 2000 to just eight seconds today. Humans now have less of an attention span than a goldfish (nine seconds average). The decrease was seen across all age groups and genders in the study. Those in the age bracket of 18 to 34 had a 31 percent high sustained attention span compared to those age 55 and over at 35 percent. Meanwhile, males (33 percent) had a better attention span than females (31 percent). On a positive note, the researchers found the ability to multitask has significantly improved.

"Heavy multi-screeners find it difficult to filter out irrelevant stimuli - they're more easily distracted by multiple streams of media," according to the report.

The researchers did find generational differences when it came to mobile use. Young respondents were more likely to display addiction-like behaviors when it came to their devices. For example, 77 percent of people aged 18 to 24 responded "yes" when asked "When nothing is occupying my attention, the first thing I do is reach for my phone," compared with only 10 percent of those over age 65. Out of the 18 to 24 age group, more than half admit to checking their phone every 30 minutes or less and over three-fourths used their portable devices while watching TV.

These findings coincide with a 2014 study by the British unit of advertising buyer OMD that found the average person shifts their attention between their smartphone, tablet and laptop 21 times in an hour. This suggests the human attention span is smaller due to the growing presence of these gadgets. The desire to be constantly connected can compromise attention but in exchange for being better multitaskers.

In the digital age, it seems the ability to stay focus is now a superpower. A weaker attention span could be the side effect of the brain having to adapt and change over time in the presence of technology. However, there are ways to improve our attention span amid the ongoing texts, tweets, and other interruptions.

1. Drink More Fluids

A 2012 study published in The Journal of Nutrition found mild dehydration can cause you to lose concentration. It is imperative to stay hydrated even when you don't feel thirsty. Men should drink 13 cups of total beverages a day while women should drink nine cups, according to the Mayo Clinic.

2. Exercise

A 2013 study published in the journal PLOS ONE found increasing your fitness level can do wonders for your attention span. Men who were part of a Spanish cycling team responded seven percent much faster than the less fit group in a computerized task. Exercising the body is exercising the brain.

3. Avoid Electronic Devices

A 2013 study found an office worker gets only 11 minutes between each interruption, while it takes an average of 25 minutes to return to the original task after an interruption. It's better to give a task a dedicated time slot to solely focus on your work and ignore the irrelevant. Technological devices that are within reach can easily lure you in to decrease your attention span.

So how many of you go through this article without checking your other electronic devices?

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Human Attention Span Shortens To 8 Seconds Due To Digital Technology: 3 Ways To Stay Focused

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In the digital age, where the news is limited to 140 characters and conversations take place in the form of emojis, our attention span has shortened. A recent study by Microsoft Corporation has found this digital lifestyle has made it difficult for us to stay focused, with the human attention span shortening from 12 seconds to eight seconds in more than a decade.

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http://www.medicaldaily.com/out-sight-out-mind-cell-phones-may-diminish-cognitive-ability-even-without-use-313590

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3200693/Is-technology-rotting-brain-Heavy-mobile-phone-internet-use-linked-poor-attention-span.html

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E-mail Ms. Nguyen Assignment Due FRIDAY February 12

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E-mail Ms. Nguyen Assignment Due FRIDAY February 12

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5PZ_Bh-M6o

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Socratic Seminar Assignment Sheet w/ Questions

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Socratic Seminar Assignment Sheet w/ Questions

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Getting Students to Put Their Phones Away

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Getting Students to Put Their Phones Away

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The Age of Distraction Getting Students to Put Away Their Phones and Focus on Learning

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Cell Phone Radiation Damages Sperm, Studies Find | EWG

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phonedefense.net

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Why Texting While Driving Laws Have Opposite Effect

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Why Texting While Driving Laws Have Opposite Effect

# data[].attributes.headline
Why It's Hard To Crack Down On Distracted Driving

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Why It's Hard To Crack Down On Distracted Driving

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http://www.presentation.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Source-Evaluation-Cheat-Sheet.pdf

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http://writingcenter.appstate.edu/sites/writingcenter.appstate.edu/files/Credible%20v%20Non-Credible%20Sources13.pdf

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			Bullying Statistics

						Anti-Bullying Help, Facts, and More.
					

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			Bullying Statistics

						Anti-Bullying Help, Facts, and More.
					

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http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/cyber-bullying-statistics.html

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Anonymous cell phone apps may fuel cyber bullying Video

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Anonymous cell phone apps may fuel cyber bullying Video

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http://www.kake.com/home/headlines/I-Team-Investigation-anonymous-cell-phone-apps-may-fuel-cyber-bullying-292139201.html

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Is use of cell phones leading to cyberbullying?

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Is use of cell phones leading to cyberbullying?

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https://storify.com/WLA6th/cellphones-cyberbullying

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Does Social Media Perpetuate Youth Violence?

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Does Social Media Perpetuate Youth Violence?

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http://yvpc.sph.umich.edu/social-media-perpetuate-youth-violence/

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Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center

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Social Media is a huge part of the lives of everyday Americans, and there is growing evidence to support the role that social media plays in youth violence, both directly and indirectly.

Very similar to the recent cyber bullying phenomenon, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube have become a platform for youth violence. ABC News covered a story where they interviewed a Chicago resident that showed correspondents how sites were used by gang members to promote violence. It showed how gangs used social media sites to make threats, "call out" rival gangs, promote violence and recruit members. This activity led to real "Stomp-Outs", real shootings, and real deaths.

In addition to direct violence from social media, a new trend called "Fight Compilations" has become increasingly popular on sites such as World Star Hip Hop and YouTube. Fight Compilations are videos composed of fight snippets that everyday people record, usually on their cell phones.

The images to the right are what you would typically see in a fight compilation video. Spectators surrounding a fight, often times recording it on their mobile devices. Interestingly enough hundreds of thousands of people tune in to watch these clips, with some videos getting millions of hits. It's become such a huge trend that by a simple google search, you can find the "best fight compilation videos" of the week and 2013.

Continual exposure to violence like this can have adverse effects on youth. Meta-analyses of the unhealthy effects of media-violence have shown that youth who view media-violence on a regular basis are more likely to exhibit antisocial behavior, ranging from imitative violent behavior with toys to criminal violence, acceptance of violent behavior, increased feelings of hostility, and desensitization toward violent behavior. This information is not applicable to all youth who view it, but imagine a young impressionable pre-teen that may think this behavior (hostile fights) is acceptable.

Youth who oftentimes are continually exposed to violence in the media result to violence to solve their problems. This can partially be attributed to what they see and who they're around, because youth learn their social skills from their surroundings (Social Cognitive Theory, Bandura, 1986).

Social cognitive interventions are one's whose aim is to equip youth with social skills in order to cope with stressful situations, and are proven to be helpful in positive youth development, and youth violence prevention. From a public health standpoint Browne and Hamilton-Giachritsis describe how solutions to youth violence based from the media are multifaceted, and involves intervention from the key stakeholders; youth, parents, policy makers, and media outlets. But whose job is it really? How do we stop social media from influencing violent behavior among youth?

About the author
Brittany is a second year graduate student studying Health and Health at the U-M School of Public. She is currently working on the YVPC social media campaign, and with YES on the YES Adaptation project.
References

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Browne, K., and Hamilton-Giachritsis, C. (2005). The influence of violent media on children and adolescents: A public-health approach. The Lancet. 365(9460). 702-710.

Cantor, J. (2000). Media violence. Journal of Adolescent Health. 27(2). Supp. 1. 30-34.

Related Posts

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Does Social Media Perpetuate Youth Violence? - Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center

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By: Brittany Bostic, YES Research Assistant Social Media is a huge part of the lives of everyday Americans, and there is growing evidence to support the role that social media plays in youth violence, both directly and indirectly. Very similar to the recent cyber bullying phenomenon, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube have become a platform for youth violence.

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Cyberbullying increases with mobile phone usage?

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Cyberbullying increases with mobile phone usage?

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http://www.zdnet.com/article/cyberbullying-increases-in-line-with-mobile-phone-usage-infographic/

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Research on cyberbullying sponsored by Opennet has found that teenager who are 'heavy cell phone users' are more likely to engage in the practice of bullying online, as well as become bullied themselves.

According to the survey, mobile devices such as phones, tablets and notebooks that have wireless capabilities can be linked to cyberbullying rates among young people. The survey was conducted online in 2011 through a sample of 503 U.S. 13 - 17 year olds, who stated they had use of a cell phone.

The more extensively teenagers use their cell phones, the greater their risk of exposure to both experiencing and engaging within inappropriate mobile activity. Teens who are heavy cell phone users are more likely than 'average' users to be cell phone mis-users, become cyberbullies or experience harassment themselves. Heavy cell phone users are defined as teens who send more than the 'average' number of texts in a typical school day (60 or more).

Some conclusions the research suggests are:

46 percent of heavy users experience cyberbullying on their cell phones, a much higher rate compared to just 23 percent of teenagers who are within the 'normal usage' bracket.

88 percent of cyberbullies indicate they have been bullied themselves across wireless networks.

Teenage girls are more likely than boys to make attempts at hiding their cell phone activity from their parents, such as deleting texts or hiding online activity. Yet, it is teenage boys who are more likely to have parental rules for cell phone usage.

Generally, it is heavy cell phone users and mis-users that are more likely to hide their cell phone activity from their parents.

70 percent of parents set rules for cell phone usage, with 14 percent installing parental control software.

Strong parent-teen relationships with high trust levels may help in steering off inappropriate cell phone activity.

Michael Manzo, CMO of Openet sees the use of mobile devices by teenagers as a two way street:

"The proliferation of mobile access cuts both ways for teenagers. While this age group needs an effective way to communicate with parents and friends, mobile devices can also serve as a gateway to behavior that is damaging for both the victim and the perpetrator. While legislation against cyber-bullying, along with parental supervision, are a good start to preventing this activity, wireless carriers also bear a responsibility to help ensure that parents can monitor and control their children's mobile phone access and usage."

The study found that cyberbullying through mobile devices or online methods is a serious issue within this age group, and that it can cause strong emotional impacts. The more you use mobile devices as a means of communication, the more likely you are to experience harassment across them. The study also reports that teenagers who experience and participate in cyber-bullying are more likely to get into trouble or feel unhappy than those who do neither.

For more information, view the infographic below:

Related:

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Cyberbullying increases in line with mobile phone usage? (infographic) | ZDNet

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Research on cyberbullying sponsored by Opennet has found that teenager who are 'heavy cell phone users' are more likely to engage in the practice of bullying online, as well as become bullied themselves.According to the survey, mobile devices such as phones, tablets and notebooks that have wireless capabilities can be linked to cyberbullying rates among young people.

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http://www.cyberbullyhotline.com/blog/student-mobile-device-use-schools/