Tag Archives: Psychology

Current Affairs, Politics, Science & Health, Web & Technology

Why Social Media Makes People Unhappy–And Simple Ways To Fix It | Scientific American

Research suggests platform designs make us lose track of time spent on them and can heighten conflicts, and then we feel upset with ourselves

By Daisy Yuhas, June 20, 2022

Credit: Oscar Wong/Getty Images

Disrupted sleep, lower life satisfaction and poor self-esteem are just a few of the negative mental health consequences that research has linked to social media.

Somehow the same platforms that can help people feel more connected and knowledgeable also contribute to loneliness and disinformation.

What succeeds and fails, computer scientists argue, is a function of how these platforms are designed.

Amanda Baughan, a graduate student specializing in human-computer interaction, a subfield of computer science, at the University of Washington, believes that interdisciplinary research could inform better social platforms and apps. At the 2022 Association for Computing Machinery Computer-Human Interaction (CHI) Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in May, she presented findings from a recent project that explored how social media triggers what psychologists call “dissociation,” or a state of reduced self-reflection and narrowed attention.

Baughan spoke with Mind Matters editor Daisy Yuhas to explain how and why apps need to change to give the people who use them greater power.

Source: Why Social Media Makes People Unhappy–And Simple Ways To Fix It – Scientific American

Arts & Humanities, Books & Reading, Love & Relationships, Science & Health, Times They Are A-Changing

The Real Reason Young Adults Seem Slow to ‘Grow Up’ – The Atlantic

It’s not a new developmental stage; it’s the economy.

Nancy E. Hill and Alexis Redding, April 28, 2021

Adam Maida / The Atlantic / Getty

Every generation, it seems, bemoans the irresponsibility and self-indulgence of the one that follows.

Even Socrates described the folly of youth in ancient Greece, lamenting: “Youth now love luxury. They have bad manners and contempt for authority.” However, in recent years, commentators have argued that something is distinctly stunted about the development of today’s young adults.

Many have pointed to Millennials and Gen Zers as being uniquely resistant to “growing up.” Some theorists have even suggested that a new developmental stage is needed to account for the fact that youth today are taking longer to reach adulthood and are more reliant on their parents than generations past.

Yet nothing about delaying adulthood and extending adolescence is uniquely modern. Taking more time to come of age is not due to lack of stamina or motivation on the part of today’s youth, as the common narrative proclaims. Delayed adulthood is an expected response to the economic conditions shaping the period when young adults enter the workforce.

Source: The Real Reason Young Adults Seem Slow to ‘Grow Up’ – The Atlantic

Religion & Spirit, Weblogs (Blogs)

The Children Inside — rachelmankowitz

Generally when I write in my blog, or anywhere else, I’m writing from the point of view of my most grown up, most presentable self, because that’s what people do. When I leave the house to interact with other people I generally dress up in a certain way and use certain words and facial […]

The Children Inside — rachelmankowitz

Recommended read.. great post on animal spirits, our different selves, etc.

Current Affairs, Science & Health

A Complete Psychological Analysis of Trump’s Support | Psychology Today

Science can help us make sense of the president’s political invincibility.

Editor’s Note: There are reasons why Trump supporters think and act the way they do, for Trump. We need to be aware of these, to counter their efforts to support him. I oppose everything he has done to our Nation, and will hope we can remove him in 2020, and get America back on track.

Source: A Complete Psychological Analysis of Trump’s Support | Psychology Today

Science & Health

Depression Symptoms Can Include Anger, And That’s Often Misunderstood : Shots – Health News : NPR

Physicians have been taught to look for signs of hopelessness, sadness and lack of motivation to help them diagnose depression. But anger as a depression symptom is less often noticed or addressed.

Source: Depression Symptoms Can Include Anger, And That’s Often Misunderstood : Shots – Health News : NPR