News Section

Source: Mobiledia

Date: Friday, February 03, 2012

Author: Lorien Crow

Facebook and Twitter are more addictive than alcohol and cigarettes, a new study finds, as social networking becomes an increasingly obsessive habit.

Researchers from Chicago University's Booth Business School analyzed the urges of 205 adults based on activities they prioritized. Social networking fell just behind sleep and leisure time, beating out other addictive behaviors like smoking and drinking.

Social networking is a part of daily life for billions of people, and mobile technology grants access to sites like Facebook and Twitter around the clock. The more activity that takes place online, the more users want to log in so they don't miss out, and the urge to check email or a profile page becomes a habit.

"Desires for media may be comparatively harder to resist because of their high availability and also because it feels like it does not 'cost much' to engage in these activities, even though one wants to resist," says lead researcher Wilhelm Hofmann.

Users find it easier to justify glancing at a Facebook page than having a drink at 2 p.m., and repeated checking of phones and media is more culturally accepted now than ever before. The stigma, as well as the dangers, surrounding alcohol and tobacco don't exist with social media, so users are able to rationalize their actions as harmless.

However, there are increasing risks associated with too much time spent on social networking. Recent studies show the most frequent Facebook users are prone to drug use, and doctors increasingly diagnose instances of "Internet Addiction" and "Facebook Depression."

At its most extreme, too much social media and electronics usage can affect real-life relationships and take a toll on health as well, disrupting sleep, for instance.

The constant need to monitor online activity can create disconnection from reality and society, and with soaring sales of smartphones, tablets, and e-readers, the trend shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

"Modern life is a welter of assorted desires marked by frequent conflict and resistance, the latter with uneven success," Hofmann says.

Technology is increasingly pervasive, and it may grow more difficult to resist its temptations as it becomes more deeply embedded in everyday life.