Social media use does not harm concentration: study

Using online social media does not damage our ability to concentrate, according to new research. The advent of social media and social networking has been phenomenally rapid, researchers said. "These networks have become an imprint of our everyday life and part of pop culture, revolutionising the way people communicate and in the way organisations act," said Deborah Carstens from Florida Institute

of Technology in the US. "With the abundance of technological devices, an increasing number of users of all ages rely on technology and specifically social media," said Carstens.

There are, however, worries about the impact such tools have on our psyche and our ability to concentrate, for instance. 

The study by Carstens and colleagues demonstrates that despite the often skittish and transient nature of online social interactions there is no difference to be seen in the attention span or "offline" sociability of occasional users and frequent users of online social media. 

These modern communication tools do not, it seems, interfere with our primal instincts, such as long-term attitudes, time appreciation, and concentration, in the way that many critics have suggested in recent years. 

"Social media is not a fad as it continues to play an increasing role in the individual's lives. Understanding how to utilise this social media epidemic to enhance learning, relationships and business knowledge is essential as individuals are spending an increasing amount of time on these networks," the researchers said.

The study was published in the International Journal Social Media and Interactive Learning Environments.