PSY FPX 5201 Assessment 2

Media use in adolescents: The impact on social development

PSY FPX 5201 Assessment 2: Consumption of media on a daily basis is on the increase and, while being fun and useful, can harm one’s social development. The researchers in this research aimed at understanding and studying the effect of social media on adolescence and its impact on social development. Social development is acquiring the ability to interact with others and establishing relationships, but media use can disrupt face-to-face social development for a number of reasons. For instance, excessive use of social media at night has been linked with poorer quality sleep, higher anxiety levels, and depression, leading to teenagers isolating themselves and impacting their self-esteem (Keles et al., 2019).

With age, adolescents increasingly spend more time with peers and less time with family, forming tighter relationships outside the family unit, which can include adult mentors (Boer et al., 2020). But adolescents are highly sensitive to social media approval and disapproval, which, when coupled with their emotional sensitivity and continued maturation of cognitive control, makes them responsive to affect-evoking media (Back et al., 2018). Additionally, adolescent energy studies have shown knowledge gaps, indicating that more research is needed (Forrestal, 2010).

Media has benefited a lot in the long run but has lately come with some positives and negatives from the effects of social media usage on mental well-being. As much as it can make possible social relationships, excessive usage makes people addictively use their smartphones and also remain socially isolated (Ostic et al., 2021). Although old-school psychologists like Sigmund Freud never experienced social media, contemporary theories like Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and media theory account for the way that media affects child development (Guy-Evans, 2020).

PSY FPX 5201 Assessment 2 Media use in adolescents: The impact on social development 

Some of the issues currently linked with social media usage by adolescents include distractions, sleep problems, viewing bullying and gossip, idealized views of others’ lives, and peer pressure (Vasanth et al., 2021). Cyberbullying, in particular, has been linked to negative effects like attempts at suicide, and it refers to the ill effect of media on socialization (Hinduja et al., 2010).

Furthermore, peer pressure and social media are also causes of problems for teenagers. Unrealistic peer and influencer influences affect social comparison, pressure to conform, and self-esteem, as well as social adjustment (Allen & Antonishak, 2008).

Research shows that adolescents view media for a variety of purposes, including staying current, for entertainment, and for socialization (Madge et al., 2009). Adolescent media use management is all about being supportive of their online and offline social lives, promoting self-consciousness, prioritizing offline relationships, and supporting positive development (Eschenbeck et al., 2018).

In spite of adverse effects, there is also the possibility of employing media to contribute to social development through encouraging proper and positive use of media. Encouraging teenagers to engage in constructive and guided use of media, with adult and role model guidance, can help protect against adverse effects (Tur et al., 2015).

Overall, while adolescent exposure to media has the potential to be detrimental to social development, awareness of the effects and being proactive in engaging in responsible usage of media helps to mitigate the effects. Prevention and further study are needed to help adolescents negotiate media use to ensure healthy social development.

PSY FPX 5201 Assessment 2 Media use in adolescents: The impact on social development

Forrestal, S. G. (2010, August 23). Energy intake misreporting among children and adolescents: a literature review. Wiley Online Library.

Guy-Evans, O. (2020). Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. https://www.simplypsychology.org/Bronfenbrenner.html.

Valkenburg, P. M., Meier, A., & Beyens, I. (2022). Social media use and its impact on adolescent mental health: An umbrella review of the evidence. Current opinion in psychology, 44, 58-68