With social media growing at an exponential rate, the affects of our addictions to Facebook is drastically effecting our deep rooted psychology. Just after five hours on the computer a week, brain waves change dramatically and rewire the part of the brain which controls emotions on the naive factor.
Internet addicts have 10%-20% smaller brain areas regarding speech, which begs to ask where will our brain activity be in upcoming years regarding the expansion of the Internet. In 2000 the average attention span was 12 seconds, and has now been downgraded in 2012 to eight seconds. With Internet users expanding by 127% in recent years, the psychological affects of Facebook and social media outlets is changing brain material.
Psychological Social Media Infographics
Is Our Addiction to Facebook Effecting Our Psychology?
Trend Themes
1. Social Media Addiction - Opportunity for disruptive innovation in developing online platforms or technologies that help individuals overcome social media addiction and regain control of their psychology.
2. Internet Brain Rewiring - Potential for disruptive innovation in creating tools or interventions to counteract the negative effects of internet usage on brain activity and emotional control.
3. Decreasing Attention Span - Opportunity for disruptive innovation in developing techniques or technologies to improve attention spans and cognitive abilities in the face of the growing distractions of social media.
Industry Implications
1. Digital Wellness - Disruptive innovation opportunities in the digital wellness industry to create products or services that help individuals achieve a healthier and more balanced relationship with social media and internet usage.
2. Mental Health Technology - Potential for disruptive innovation in the mental health technology industry to develop tools or technologies that address the psychological effects of social media addiction and internet usage.
3. Cognitive Enhancement - Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the cognitive enhancement industry to create solutions that improve attention spans, cognitive abilities, and emotional control in the face of increasing digital distractions.