It’s hard to know what the long-term effects of social media will be, especially on younger generations that will grow up plugged into Facebook as soon as they can type. What we can look at though, are some short-term effects, not all of which are negative. In fact, some great articles over at PsychCentral point to some positive effects of blogging, among other interesting phenomena. Check it out!
- Blogging can make you happier: Researchers found that blogging resulted in a sense of greater ‘social integration’, which is a huge factor in how connected we feel. The level of connection we feel has a direct effect on our overall happiness.
- More friends, less socially gifted: Apparently, the more friends you have on Facebook, the less socially adjusted you are and the less actual friends you have. The study, done on college students entering college, showed that while more facebook friends meant less real friends, those effects faded over time and became less true as they grew older.
- We’ll choose Facebook over sex: It sounds crazy, but 30% of men and 46% (almost half!) of women would choose to go without sex for two weeks than the internet for the same period of time. See what else we’ll give up sex for…
- Blogging can improve friendships: Bloggers reported feeling closer to their offline friends after connecting online via blog. “Blogging may function as a safe space where people seek out others for mutual feedback and support, fostering a sense of security and help.” –PsychCentral
- Twitter brings us closer together: Twitter has become a news and information super highway, but it also has another function; it boosts what psychologists call ‘ambient awareness’. Ambient awareness allows us to be more aware, if only subconsciously of the rhythm of our friend’s lives. A quick scan through your Twitter feed gives you more information about what is going on in your social circle than you realize.
Any of this surprise you? Have you noticed any of these effects play out in your own life or lives of friends? Share below!