New research finds that regular social media use during early adolescence is linked with weaker reading and vocabulary development over time. The findings arrive as Australia became the first country to ban children under 16 from using social media, while other governments and platforms consider age limits and verification measures.
The analysis used longitudinal data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, which follows more than 10,000 adolescents over six years starting around age 10. Researchers tracked daily social media use and cognitive measures across four years and found that adolescents who used social media more often each day tended to show slower gains in reading and vocabulary and had difficulty recognizing and pronouncing words. The authors warn these weaker skills could affect school performance.
The team also reported reduced attentional control among frequent users and proposed two possible explanations: frequent notifications and multitasking may disrupt attention, or young people who already struggle to focus may be more likely to use social media. Not all outcomes were negative: frequent users processed information faster and had shorter reaction times on the tests, although the researchers caution this benefit may be limited to screen-based measures. Lead author Cory Carvalho said, "The brain is like a muscle. The more you use it, the more it changes according to however you’re using it." Coauthor Niyantri Ravindran noted that negative effects on vocabulary and reading are "more expected because social media is potentially depriving kids of opportunities to engage in some of those higher-level cognitive skills." Researchers emphasised social benefits as well and recommended limiting screen time, especially before bed, delaying smartphones for younger children, or using a basic "dumb phone" if parents need to stay in touch. The study appears in the Journal of Research on Adolescence. Source: University of Georgia.
Difficult words
- longitudinal — study that follows subjects over time
- cognitive — connected with thinking and mental skills
- attentional — related to concentrating or keeping focus
- multitasking — doing several tasks at the same time
- notification — message or alert from an app or devicenotifications
- deprive — take away something needed or wanteddepriving
- verification — process of checking identity or truth
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Discussion questions
- Do you agree with the article's recommendation to limit screen time for younger children? Give reasons and examples from the text or your experience.
- How might faster information processing on screens but weaker reading and vocabulary affect a student’s performance at school?
- What are the possible benefits and drawbacks of government rules like age bans or verification measures for social media access?
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