A recent study suggests taking some tech-free time may improve tweens’ ability to recognize emotional cues from others. The study, published in the academic journal “Computers in Human Behavior,” tested two classes of sixth graders (aged 11, 12, and 13 years old) on their ability to recognize nonverbal emotional cues. This was done by asking […]
Unplugging may improve social skills, study suggests Read More »
Melinda Gates helped invent Microsoft Publisher and Expedia. You’d think she would be well prepared to help her kids navigate technology. Bill and Melinda Gates are undoubtedly wonderful parents. But, according the Washington Post editorial Melinda penned titled, “I spent my career in technology, I wasn’t prepared for its effect on my kids,” she
Think you can fire on all cylinders with your smartphone out? Think again. A new study suggests simply your smartphone’s presence drains your brain power. Researchers recruited 520 undergraduate students and randomly assigned them to one of three groups. One group was asked to leave all their belongings outside the lab. The students in
Your phone distracts you more than you know Read More »
The “Facebook Effect” has been well-documented over the last decade– the more time one spends on Facebook, the more likely one is to feel depressed. However, Instagram makes Facebook look well-rounded. Glossy, bright, carefree– no one mopes, rants, or stands on soapboxes on Instagram. The Instagram Effect, then, is the Facebook Effect taken to
How to keep your kids sane on Instagram Read More »
All Facebook users are not created equal. Some post daily, if not more. Others post monthly, if not less. Facebook can be a political forum or a mommy blog, an advertising platform or an eternal yard sale. Research about social media often lumps users together and assumes homogeneous use, but the truth about social media users
BYU Study Asks Why You ‘Like’ Social Media Read More »
A new SnapChat feature could allow predators to see where your teen lives, where he goes to school, or her favorite hang outs. SnapMaps uses the GPS signal on smart phones to pinpoint users’ locations and identifies their location on a map. This map is visible to all the user’s friends and followers. Furthermore, users’ locations
Police, Safety Experts Warn Against New SnapMaps Read More »
For all its flaws, Tinder is at least intended for adults. Now a new dating/meet-up app, Yellow, is targeting teens as young as thirteen years old. Yellow’s tagline is “Make new friends” but the app’s reviews suggest many users have much more than friendship on the brain. The app format is exactly like Tinder– see
Tinder for teens? Yellow app raises red flags Read More »
From the first smile to the last graduation, mothers love to announce and record children’s achievements on social media. Doing so keeps friends and family informed and compiles a journal of sorts for future perusal. Social media can even be a support system for frustrated moms. However, a recent study highlights a dark side of
Moms who compare, despair, social media study says Read More »
The secret to a long life might be cutting back just a few minutes a day on screen time. A recent study published in the research journal Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise suggests replacing even thirty minutes of screen time per day with another activity lowers one’s mortality risk significantly. And, no, the
(Cutting) A Little Screen Time Goes a Long Way, Study Says Read More »
