Study Finds Heavy Facebook Users Show Decision-Making Impairments Similar to Drug Addicts
Michigan State University researchers discover that excessive Facebook users perform poorly on a classic decision-making test, exhibiting behavioral patterns similar to those seen in cocaine and heroin addicts.
Researchers at Michigan State University find that excessive social media use correlates with impaired decision-making that mirrors substance addiction. In a study published in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 71 participants evaluate their own Facebook habits using the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale before taking a psychological test designed to measure risky choices.
The study utilizes the Iowa Gambling Task, a classic research tool that asks participants to select cards from virtual decks to maximize winnings. Excessive Facebook users perform significantly worse than their peers by frequently choosing the "bad" decks that offer immediate rewards but ultimately result in long-term losses.
This application of a test traditionally used on patients with brain injuries and drug addicts reveals that existing methodological frameworks for substance addiction apply to social media users. While the current study relies on self-reported surveys and focuses solely on Facebook, researchers suggest future studies should observe actual user behavior across multiple social networks.