Deren Bulut

“How does the usage of the Internet and social media affect the cognitive process of attention in adolescents and young adults? What are the academic, mental and social consequences of this impairment?”

Started Oct. 19, 2022

Abstract or project description

Title: The effects of the Internet and social media on attention among adolescents and young adults

The usage of the Internet and social media is increasing drastically day by day, affecting the cognitive processes involved in attention in adolescents and young adults who are the first generations that were born into this “connected” world. This paper will focus on reviewing the literature on this topic that exists today. However, it is crucial to keep in mind that the Internet and social media are the things humans have recently adapted to; thus, future investigations that will be available hold a very important place. The overall cognitive and neurobiological process of attention will be put forward with its relationship with the usage of the Internet and social media. Topics like multimedia tasking, attention span, ADHD, and IUD (Internet Use Disorder) will be touched upon, proceeding into the consequences of the possible impairments in attention due to the usage of the Internet and social media. Even though the consequences will be in groups of academic, mental and social, emphasizing that the lines between these are not distinct but rather blurry because they all are the cause or the effect of each other. The paper will then proceed onto suggestions and future investigation, where the discussion of what further research should be done on this topic will be held. Then, the conclusion part will summarize the general ideas and findings and aim to answer the research question.