Excessive Social Media Users Demonstrate Impaired Decision Making

• In Event: Foundations in Communication Science and Biology

Abstract

Individuals with behavioral and substance use disorders display aberrant learning from rewards and punishments. Because some social media users can display excessive, maladaptive use of online social networking platforms, similar to addicted individuals, we investigated the relationship between excessive Facebook use and learning from rewards and punishments. By using the Iowa Gambling Task, we reveal that self-reported excessive Facebook use inversely correlates with learning from rewards and punishments. Our results demonstrate a parallel between excessive social media use and behavioral and substance use disorders.

Authors

• Dar Meshi, Michigan State U

• Anastassia Elizarova, McGill U

• Antonio Verdejo-Garcia, Monash U