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Series Code: TIJ
Program Code: TIJ004107S
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00:25 Social media has taken the world by storm. Facebook, Instagram, 00:30 What's That, Twitter, Tumblr, Snapchat, YouTube, Messenger, 00:35 LinkedIn and many others are now household names. But have you 00:41 ever heard of the very first social media site six degrees. 00:46 It was created in 1997 but closed in 2001. Users of 00:53 six-degrees were able to upload a profile and make friends with 00:57 other users. When others saw the potential of this new form of 01:02 media competition was frantic and soon other companies emerged 01:08 On the first of August 2003 Myspace was launched and quickly 01:14 became the largest social media site in the world at that time. 01:18 But the giant in social media began in February 2004. Facebook 01:25 dominates the social media market with over one and a half 01:29 billion people using it to connect with friends. If you 01:34 want to succeed in social media it is said that Instagram is the 01:39 account you much have. With one billion active users every 01:44 month and 500 million of them new to Instagram every day it's 01:48 a very powerful medium of communication. So for many 01:53 people today the use of social media has become a necessary 01:57 daily activity to connect with friends, share, create and 02:02 spread information. Most users spend approximately one to two 02:07 hours each day and they cannot imagine life without it. So the 02:13 question is how did we survive before all these forms of social 02:18 media arrived? How much time are we spending on social media? 02:22 And what is its impact in our lives? I'm Gary Kent. Join me 02:29 as we navigate through this amazing digital world. 02:35 ♪ ♪ 02:50 I'm sure you've noticed how attached people are becoming to 02:54 their mobile phones. As soon as it beeps or tells us we have a 02:58 new message or email we just can't resist checking it out. 03:03 For many individuals the majority of most communications 03:08 both personally and professionally is now by mobile 03:12 phone or email. Unfortunately there seems to be a down side to 03:18 this form of communication as it's sometimes easy to 03:23 miscommunicate our messages. Without the signals you can get 03:27 from face to face interactions through body language, emotions, 03:32 and exhibited feelings the words can sometimes seem an unintended 03:37 meaning. Words are singularly the most powerful force 03:44 available to humanity. We can choose to use this force 03:49 constructively with words of encouragement or destructively 03:53 using words of criticism. Words have power and have the ability 03:58 to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt or to harm. Teachers in a 04:06 local high school reportedly were concerned about the lack of 04:10 conversational skills among some of their students. So they got 04:15 together and decided to try an experiment. On a given evening 04:21 the participating team of students were asked to shut 04:24 down all their devices. The teacher then placed them 04:28 separately in a real time, face to face situation with 04:32 individuals they didn't know. At first the students had a very 04:37 difficult time initiating or sustaining a conversation. They 04:42 had learned the art of small talk which is key 04:46 in many professional careers and in personal and social 04:49 interaction. Later during the debriefing the teenagers were 04:55 heard to make comments such as I don't have any trouble texting 04:59 and tweeting but I couldn't think of a thing to say in 05:04 person or Wow, that was a lot harder than I expected or I'm 05:11 going to turn off my electronics for at least an hour a day and 05:15 practice doing some real time small talk. So what impact is 05:21 all this screen time having on society? Well we're going to 05:26 find out. Our guest today, Dr. Arlene Taylor, is going to draw 05:31 back the curtain and help us the impact screen time has on 05:36 the human brain. Dr. Arlene Taylor is the founder and 05:40 president of Realizations Inc. a nonprofit corporation that 05:44 engages in brain function research. She's the author of 05:47 several popular books related to brain function, practical 05:51 applications to relationships in everyday living and creator of 05:56 the Longevity Lifestyle Matters program. 05:59 Dr. Taylor welcome to our program today. Social media is a 06:04 relatively new term isn't it? 06:06 And reportedly there's been a bit of jockeying as individuals 06:11 try to assert rights to that term. And exactly there has been 06:16 AOL believes it came out of AOL in the early 1990s when the 06:22 company was developing what would become AOL Instant 06:25 Messenger. There's so many definitions for social media 06:30 floating around. One example goes like this: Social media 06:36 is a term 06:37 that encompasses a smorgasbord of online media where people are 06:42 talking, participating, sharing networking and bookmarking 06:48 online with a wide variety of options from social sharing 06:52 sites such as YouTube and Instagram through social 06:56 networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook. 07:00 Social media is huge in this age of technology but I sometimes 07:05 wonder just how many people really use social media sites. 07:09 A lot! 2018 data indicate that there are more than three and 07:16 one-half billion internet users. Estimates are that social media 07:23 users grow by one new user every 15 seconds. You compare that to 07:31 every 20 seconds in the United States someone is diagnosed with 07:37 diabetes. Every 15 seconds there's a new social media user. 07:44 According to statistics from the Nielsen group internet users in 07:51 the United States spend more time on Facebook than any other 07:55 website. In Australia nearly three-fourths of the population 08:01 are active Facebook users with half the population logging onto 08:07 the site at least once a day. In the United States more than four 08:13 fifths of the population use Facebook spending an average of 08:18 20 minutes per day on the site. And Instagram is second in the 08:24 United States after Facebook. YouTube is the world's largest 08:29 video network with users spending upwards of a billion 08:34 hours per day watching. 08:36 What are some of the up sides to social media? 08:40 Almost anything on this planet has an up side and a down side. 08:46 Personally I do the majority of work with my nonprofit 08:50 corporation, Realizations Inc., via technology. I have almost 08:56 instant worldwide communication with anyone else who has a 09:01 computer or mobile phone. Almost instant access to data, the 09:07 state of the art information and on and on and on. Reports 09:15 suggest that on the internet every click, every view and 09:19 every emotion is tracked and noted somewhere in the form of 09:26 statistics and ordered for businesses to understand the 09:30 users behavior and be better able to market their products. 09:34 And there's another upside. Users get to chat with each 09:40 other online and post pictures and updates about their lives. 09:45 And individuals who are house bound or must stay in bed are 09:51 still able to stay connected with family, with friends by 09:57 social networks. 09:58 In life we typically give up something to get something. That 10:03 suggests that there can be a down side to social media 10:05 technology when it's used inappropriately or out of 10:09 balance as you indicated. What are some of the potential 10:12 down sides? 10:14 So the short answer is that the human brain is extremely 10:19 sensitive to the outside world. Therefore, technology used 10:24 inappropriately or out of balance can create some real 10:28 problems for the brain. And again especially for the 10:32 developing brain. Current studies show that the prefrontal 10:38 cortex of the brain, the part right behind your forehead, is 10:42 not done, meaning all the myelination is not complete 10:47 in fiber optics until late 20s and possibly early 30s. 10:54 According to Psychology Today what a teenager does and is 11:00 exposed to has a large influence on that teen's future because 11:07 experience and current needs shape the pruning and sprouting 11:14 process in the brain. When a brain is born it has way more 11:19 neurons than it actually needs. And especially during the first 11:24 five years and then again during the teenage years functions that 11:29 are not utilized the brain just prunes and gets rid of those 11:33 cells. They're not needed. So something like being the class 11:37 clown for example can help make a good salesperson later on. And 11:44 running for class president will help develop brain skills 11:49 that are needed to run a business or take on a management 11:54 position. So if the teenager is playing lots of video games 11:59 these will shape the brain in such a way that they might 12:03 become an excellent fighter pilot. But becoming an 12:08 accountant or a researcher will likely be less possible. Being 12:15 exposed to negative influences on social media also shapes the 12:20 brain and the future of the adolescent. It can sow the seeds 12:25 of addictive behaviors and interpersonal conflict. Research 12:31 has shown that in order to develop effective socialization 12:35 skills the brain needs real time real life face to face 12:42 experiences. Practicing striking up a conversation with another 12:46 individual and setting them at ease through small talk When the 12:53 outside world primarily consists of Facebook, email, LinkedIn, 12:59 texting, tweeting and surfing the net as it's called, looking 13:04 up things on the internet exposure and practice of face to 13:09 face communication is reduced. Some studies can show that 13:14 talking in cyber shorthand, as it is called, most of the time 13:19 can make it less likely that that brain will be able to walk 13:24 into a crowd of complete strangers and initiate an 13:28 enjoyable conversation face to face. Remember the teenage brain 13:34 is not done yet. It is rather a self-absorbed and somewhat 13:41 narcissistic chunk of biological real estate as in it's all about 13:49 me. Maturing the teenage brain is a learned process designed 13:56 to move it away from narcissistic behaviors to more 14:00 balanced and functional adult behaviors. This is a learning 14:05 process. It is not an automatic genetic process. So an 14:10 unbalanced use of technology during adolescent years can 14:14 interfere with the brain's actual maturation process. 14:19 Unfortunately if the teenage brain fails to mature and move 14:24 to more balanced behaviors it tends to continue narcissistic 14:30 it's all about me behaviors into adulthood. The danger is that 14:36 the antisocial narcissistic adult may begin to exhibit 14:42 sociopathic behaviors. 14:44 I suppose time spent on social media sites can be an issue as 14:50 well. 14:51 Studies have shown recently that those who spend three or more 14:55 hours per day on Facebook or other social media sites tend to 15:02 occupy self with self. They are at high risk for becoming 15:06 restless, anxious and depressed as they compare what was posted 15:13 with what they personally possess. They tend to use lower 15:19 brain functions from the first or second layers of the brain 15:25 over higher brain functions in the third layer, the neocortex. 15:29 And they tend to exhibit decreased empathy and compassion 15:35 When you can't speak or hear another person it becomes 15:41 easier to be less embarrassed and less inhibited and less 15:44 concerned about what other people even think. It becomes 15:49 easier to reveal things about yourself that you wish later on 15:54 you had not done and/or said things to or about other people 16:00 that you might never do in person. Really social media can 16:05 take over your life in a Nano second if you aren't careful. 16:09 Just anticipating connecting with someone via social media 16:14 can trigger the release of oxytocin as well as dopamine 16:19 the feel-better chemical. People have actually become so involved 16:25 with social media that they've dropped out of school, quit 16:28 their job lived on the street and really checked out of 16:33 reality living in favor of just surfing their favorite sites 16:39 day and night. Many businesses frown on employees checking 16:43 social media frequently when they're supposed to be doing the 16:47 company's work, the work they are being paid to do. And most 16:52 unfortunately cyber harassment and bullying behaviors and other 16:59 negative types of communication have invaded social media. 17:02 Suicide attempts and suicide successes have occurred 17:08 repeatedly and been reported due to cyber harassments and 17:13 bullying. And then there are the unsafe connections that are made 17:19 over the internet that have sometimes resulted in abductions 17:23 even murders. Some individuals have even created a fake 17:29 identity known as a sock puppet in an attempt to avoid 17:35 accountability for what they spew out over the internet or in 17:40 an attempt to remain anonymous. The problem with this is that 17:45 great damage can be done to susceptible individuals and a 17:50 big downside involves something called gas lighting. This term 17:58 was picked up from a 1944 movie in which a man uses various 18:03 techniques in an attempt to make his wife start wondering about 18:06 her own sanity so that he could put her in an institution, have 18:11 her institutionalized. The author of the book Gas lighting 18:16 pointed out that this tactic is commonly seen among dictators, 18:21 narcissists, abusers, and cult leaders who gain power over 18:29 targets by destabilizing people's mental states and 18:34 making them doubt their own perceptions of reality. 18:38 Unfortunately the practice of gaslighting is common on social 18:44 media sites where the perpetrator may disseminate 18:48 inaccuracies, outright lies and disinformation. 18:53 I read that some communication skills have been lost due to 18:57 social media. 18:58 When I talk about social media. I like to talk about face 19:03 to face communication especially that learned ability to put 19:09 people instantly at ease using small talk especially when the 19:14 individuals do not know each other. According to some studies 19:19 this skill is rapidly disappearing. I have sometimes 19:26 talked about with you the fact that there can be two people 19:31 sitting in a restaurant and they're each on their electronic 19:35 devices with hardly any verbal communication. I even asked a 19:40 young couple about that once. And they looked at me like I was 19:44 from another planet. They replied that they were talking 19:48 to each other, they were communicating, they were just 19:52 doing it via their devices. But there was no eye contact, there 19:58 were no facial expressions, there was no laughter, just 20:04 typing with their thumbs. That's not face to face real time 20:11 interaction with one brain with another. And then there is 20:15 phubbing. Do you know the term phubbing Studies have shown that 20:20 ignoring someone in a social situation to look at ones phone 20:25 threatens peoples fundamental need to belong. It's typically 20:33 perceived as a form of social exclusion, making others feel 20:39 invisible, eroding their self esteem. They actually feel less 20:44 important than whomever the other person is communicating 20:48 with electronically. Phubbing has been linked with poor 20:53 communication and lower relationship satisfaction. 20:57 Become of that some organizations require that 21:02 social media electronics must be turned off during important 21:07 business meetings and committee interactions. So how much more 21:12 important to turn that off when you are working on a 21:17 communication relationship with people you love, with family 21:22 members and good friends. My brain's opinion is that even a 21:27 positive thing taken to the extreme or used out of balance 21:32 can become a negative. Social media is one of those things. 21:38 It points out the need to practice disconnecting from 21:44 social media for some period of time every single day. This can 21:49 cause the user to build skills related not only to delaying 21:55 gratification and delaying gratification is critical to 21:59 almost every type of success, but also raising the person's 22:04 level of emotional intelligence judged to be worth 80 percent 22:09 of a person's overall success in life. So in life usually if not 22:19 always you must give up something to get something. 22:23 Maturity involves evaluating what you will get versus what 22:30 you will have to give up when making a decision. So with some 22:35 knowledge and forethought you can attain the benefits 22:40 social media and technology offer while at the same time 22:44 avoiding creating problems for your brain. 22:48 Dr. Taylor it's been a pleasure having you on our program today 22:52 and we're so grateful for all the important information you've 22:56 shared with us. 22:57 Once again, it's a pleasure to chat with you about brain 23:01 function and I encourage people to take the time to do person to 23:09 person, brain to brain communication. It's a different 23:15 type of connection from social media. 23:21 Social media has certainly taken the world by storm and now it's 23:28 hard to imagine a world without the internet, our smart phones 23:32 emails and instant communication In fact, it doesn't matter where 23:38 you go in this world people seem to be attached to their phones. 23:43 The need and desire to communicate is not new to the 23:48 21st century. Way back in the first century the apostle Paul 23:53 wrote some wise words to the people in Thessalonica. Now they 23:57 didn't have social media back then but the principles of 24:01 communication is the same. Here's what Paul wrote in 24:05 1 Thessalonians chapter five and verse 11: 24:16 Here Paul is exhorting the people to only say kind words, words 24:21 that are affirming and helpful and to avoid unkind and 24:26 discouraging words. There's an old Yiddish saying that says: 24:37 Once words have been spoken or sent via social media we cannot 24:44 call them back. Today the powerful platform of social 24:49 media gives us instant words. Sometimes on social media words 24:54 may be sent off quickly, words that you might not think of 24:59 using if you are communicating in person face to face. Let's 25:04 choose to only say or write words that will not discourage, 25:08 disempower or be negative. Let's follow the apostle Paul's advice 25:13 in Ephesians chapter four and verse 29. Here's what he wrote: 25:32 What a difference it would make in our world if only kind and 25:36 intelligent words were said in person or communicated by 25:40 technology. If our comments were positive, helpful and empowering 25:46 So the question then is What aspects of social media are 25:52 positive and provide positive outcomes? And what aspects are 25:56 negative and provide negative outcomes? 25:59 If you would like to know more about the effects of media on 26:05 the brain then I'd like to recommend a free gift we 26:08 have for all our 26:09 Incredible Journey viewers today It's the small booklet Media on 26:16 the Brain. In this booklet you will read what the latest 26:20 scientific research says about the mind altering effects of 26:24 21st century media. This booklet has helped many people_ 26:29 media addiction and restore healthy relationships. So don't 26:35 miss this wonderful opportunity to receive the free gift we have 26:39 for you today. I guarantee there are no costs or obligations 26:44 whatsoever. 26:47 Phone or text us at 0436-333-555 in Australia or 020-422-2042 in 26:57 New Zealand or visit our website TiJ.tv to request today's free 27:03 offer and we'll send it to you totally free of charge and with 27:07 no obligation. Write to us at: 27:22 Don't delay. Call or text us now 27:25 If you've enjoyed our journey into the world of social media 27:31 and the impact our words can have on other people then be 27:36 sure to join us again next week when we will share another of 27:39 life's journeys together. And now I'd like to invite you to 27:44 join me as we pray. 27:46 Dear heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the ability to 27:52 communicate and to share out thoughts and feelings. We ask 27:57 that you give us wisdom as we choose our words and may they 28:01 always be positive, helpful and empowering and most of all to 28:07 reflect your love for us. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. 28:13 ♪ ♪ |
Revised 2021-07-12