Social Networking Media– Verdict?

Just a little sidetrack from the usual postings...

Facebook 'enhances intelligence' but Twitter and Youtube 'diminishes it', claims psychologist Dr Tracy Alloway from the results of her study.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/twitter/6147668/Facebook-enhances-intelligence-but-Twitter-diminishes-it-claims-psychologist.html

“Sudoku also stretched the working memory, as did keeping up with friends on Facebook, she said.

But the ''instant'' nature of texting, Twitter and YouTube was not healthy for working memory."

Interestingly, I found her on twitter, perhaps as part of her study as she has likely joined in Feb this year.

In a speech today, US President Barack Obama praised twitter, google and facebook but not Microsoft’s Xbox. He had a blunt status update for America's permanently wired youth: your Facebook postings could come back to haunt you.

Well, that’s good advice from someone who has experienced its aftereffects.

http://searchengineland.com/obama-praises-twitter-google-facebook-but-not-microsofts-xbox-25406

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20090909/ttc-us-politics-obama-it-internet-facebo-0de2eff.html

So whether you come from a psychologist or a socialist or a politician’s point of view, there is little doubt that the world we are in are getting more and more linked with social networking media. So instead of total avoidance, we should learn to embrace it with wisdom and a little trepidation, but not indulge in it without much understanding of its dangers.

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0 Vote up Vote down

Ann Martin · 810 weeks ago

I don't know that I agree with her assessment that twitter isn't healthy for the working memory and facebook is? I follow links on twitter and read articles....all the time. How is that not increasing my knowledge and exercising my memory skills? It's not all mindless chatter...........unless you follow people who only do that. It's your choice who you follow so don't blame the media, blame the operator.

AMO · 810 weeks ago

I concur with Ann and I probably couldn´t agree or disagree with the assessment as well. For me, it depends also on how the studies were carried out (and hence the reliability of the results/conclusion), and very much on the way the individual uses these media. I think these studies, at least, can serve as a reminder to reflect whether we are spending our time wisely on the things we are doing online. :)

Nerisa Eric · 802 weeks ago

very interesting articles

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