Scientists have compared addiction to social networks with the behavior of laboratory rats

EstimatedAn estimated 1 in 4 children and young people have problematic smartphone usage Scientists, today about one in four people under 25 have problems with smartphone and social media addiction. According to recent research, this interaction with gadgets is very similar to how laboratory rats press buttons to get food.

Scientists from New York University tried to proveA computational reward learning account of social media engagementthat social media engagement, especially users' attempts to get likes, is driven by basic reward learning behavior. While the underlying motives for this behavior in humans can undoubtedly be different, the very nature of this behavior follows the same pattern as in many animal species when seeking rewards.

In their study, the researchers began by analyzing over a million posts from 4,000+ people on Instagram and other social networks. When they looked at the posting frequency, they found that people entered a certain posting rhythm that maximizes the number of responses they receive. Simply put, the more likes posts collect, the more often users share new posts.

The researchers argue that this average pattern can be seen as a form of reward maximization. This phenomenon is also observed in animals looking for food.

To get a deeper understanding of this issue, the team of scientists selected 176 people to participate in a separate an online experiment in which subjects posted memes and received likes on a platform like Instagram. And here once again they found that the more successful people's posts were, the more new posts they posted. This is another example of basic reward learning behavior similar to that of animals looking for food.

Lab rats placed in Skinner's boxSkinner's box (Wikipedia), - the most striking comparison. Animals there press a button (pedal or lever) to receive a treat. The more treats they get, the more often they hit the button.