A Deep Dive into the Neurological Impact of Modern Media.
Social media is changing your brain, and it needs to be addressed. Most people are unaware of the brain changing effects of consuming digital content.
The science of social media
As humans, we’re wired to connect with others. This isn’t just a nice idea – it’s part of our DNA. Our ancestors survived and thrived by banding together, whether for hunting, protection, or raising families. Over time, this knack for social connection became deeply ingrained in who we are.
Think about how we’ve developed as a species. Our big brains? They’re not just for solving math problems. In the late 1900s, the biological anthropologist Robin Dunbar proposed that the reason why humans have such large brains is so that we can deal with the growth and complexity of social interactions and social networks. He showed that a species’ group size was the strongest predictor of an animal’s neocortex size. The bigger the group, the bigger the brain. Because navigating numerous social interactions, relationships, and networks was so cognitively demanding—but also rewarding—we had to develop bigger brains to accommodate it. Basically, we evolved big brains in order to connect.
Connection isn’t a luxury – it’s a necessity, right up there with food, water, and shelter. We need it to be healthy and happy. It’s that important.
Social media is literally hardwired into our brain to be attractive—it’s more social connection! Yet just like anything, overconsumption isn’t healthy. Think about candy—a little isn’t harmful, but when eaten in excess, it poses serious health risks.
Changes in brain structure
You may have heard of the study with the London taxi drivers: a compelling example of the brain’s ability to change and adapt. In London, becoming a taxi driver requires memorizing the entire city layout without relying on GPS. Training requires memorization of hundreds of streets and attractions across a short period of time. Brain scans of these drivers before and after their training revealed significant growth in specific brain regions.
This phenomenon isn’t limited to taxi drivers. Similar neurological changes have been observed in musicians and other professionals who engage in focused skill development over extended amounts of time. This prolonged focus in a particular area creates new neural pathways that change the shape of the brain—enlarging some parts and making other parts smaller. It demonstrates how our brain structure can be influenced by our activities and experiences.
The same thing holds true with digital media. Extended usage of digital media over a long period of time alters the physical state of the brain—enlarging some parts and making other parts smaller. This can be positive or negative, depending on the quality, purpose, and content you’re consuming.
Social media can be used in different ways—both productively and unproductively. Unproductively digital media use refers to the engagement with digital devices and online content in a manner that does not contribute to meaningful goals, learning, or personal growth. This can look like scrolling instagram reels, binge-watching youtube videos, surfing the web, etc. Productive digital media is the opposite—it refers to the engagement with digital devices and online content in a way that positively contributes to personal or professional goals, learning, or overall well-being. This type of use is characterized by activities that are intentional, goal-oriented, and beneficial. This article will focus on the prior—unproductive digital media use.
Children and teens especially vulnerable
Youth are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of social media, as young brains are not fully developed. Particularly the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for decision-making and resisting temptation, isn’t fully matured until the age of 21. This makes it especially difficult for young people to resist the persuasive design of digital media.
Extensive digital media use by preschoolers can have a dramatic influence on language networks. A clear correlation was observed between intensive early childhood digital media use and poorer structural integrity of white-matter tracts. Crazy right!? Reading skills might be compromised if fiber tracts between the language areas are not developed to their full extent. This leads to problems in later life, as difficulty communicating continues into adulthood. To add to the fire, children who consume excessive digital media perform worse on cognitive tests and communication exams than children who limit digital media use.
Because the brain is still forming, digital media use during younger years still affects life down the road. Researchers conducted MRI scans on adults who played Pokémon as children and those who didn’t. Years later, those who played Pokémon showed a distinct cortical response to Pokémon figures near face-recognition areas. This suggests that digital media use can create lasting neural representations of digital content, even decades later.
This study highlights how the content we consume can permanently alter our brain structure. Just as Pokémon players developed specific neural pathways, our brains adapt to the media we frequently engage with.
What if instead of playing video games and scrolling social media the younger generation consumed constructive content that helps us get closer to our goals—creating permanent neural pathways that will aid us in our adult life and career?
This should encourage you to be more mindful of the content you consume. Is what you are watching something that you want ingrained into your brain—so much so that it will trigger certain neural pathways to light up years after consuming this sort of content?
You’re not off the hook…
If you think you’re off the hook because you’re not a child, think again. More and more research shows that neuroplasticity continues into adulthood. Our brain is still capable of changing and adapting, just as the London taxi driver study showed. Heavy social media users, no matter the age, perform worse on cognitive tests, especially those that examine attention and ability to multitask. Compared to moderate to light social media users, heavy users needed to exert more effort to remain focused in the face of distraction. Not only does this lead to poorer cognitive performance, but it shrinks parts of the brain associated with maintaining attention.
Conclusion: rewiring our digital habits
The evidence is clear: social media and digital content consumption are not just changing how we interact—they’re literally reshaping our brains. From the developing minds of children to the supposedly stable brains of adults, no one is immune to the neurological impact of our digital habits.
We’ve seen how early exposure to digital media can alter language development in children, potentially setting them up for lifelong challenges. We’ve witnessed how even fleeting childhood experiences with digital content can create lasting neural imprints, detectable decades later. And for adults, the news isn’t much better—heavy social media use correlates with decreased cognitive performance and increased difficulty in maintaining focus.
But here’s the silver lining: just as our brains adapt to potentially harmful digital habits, they can also be trained to form more beneficial neural pathways. The plasticity that makes us vulnerable to the downsides of social media also gives us the power to reshape our cognitive landscape for the better.
So, what’s the takeaway? It’s time for a digital reality check. We need to approach our online time with the same thoughtfulness we apply to our diet or exercise regimen. Ask yourself: Is this content I’m consuming something I want permanently wired into my neural circuitry? Am I using digital media in a way that enhances my goals and well-being, or am I mindlessly scrolling away my cognitive potential?
The choice is yours. Your brain is changing with every swipe and click—make sure it’s changing in a direction you choose, not one chosen for you by the persuasive design of social media platforms. After all, in the era of information overload, the ability to focus and think deeply might just become your most valuable asset. Isn’t it time we started treating our cognitive health with the respect it deserves?
