Teen Identity
This is the term for how teenagers often compare their lives to others’ carefully curated online personas.
What is social comparison?
Excessive use of social media has been linked to this type of mental health issue, characterized by feelings of sadness and a lack of interest in activities.
What is depression?
This is the term for personalized content recommendations that keep users engaged on social media platforms.
Answer: What are algorithms?
Social media can strengthen this type of relationship by allowing teens to stay connected across long distances.
Answer: What are friendships?
A temporary break from using social media is commonly referred to as this.
Answer: What is a digital detox?
Platforms like Instagram and TikTok often amplify this behavior, where teens seek approval through likes, comments, and shares.
What is seeking validation?
Teens who stay up late scrolling through their feeds may experience this issue, which negatively impacts mental health and academic performance.
What is sleep deprivation?
Algorithms are designed to maximize this metric, often at the expense of user mental health.
Answer: What is engagement?
This negative social interaction on platforms like Instagram and Snapchat involves harassment, threats, or humiliation.
Answer: What is cyberbullying?
Studies show that reducing screen time can lead to improvements in this type of mental health.
Answer: What is emotional well-being?
This psychological concept refers to how teens create different versions of themselves online, sometimes leading to confusion about their true identity.
What is identity fragmentation?
This term describes the anxiety teens feel when they believe they are missing out on exciting experiences shared by their peers online.
Answer: What is “FOMO” (Fear of Missing Out)?
This term describes the phenomenon where algorithms reinforce users’ existing beliefs by showing them similar content repeatedly.
Answer: What is echo chamber?
Studies suggest that teens often feel this emotion when they see friends hanging out without them, as shared online.
Answer: What is “FOMO” (Fear of Missing Out)?
Spending time away from social media has been shown to improve this crucial nightly activity, which many teens struggle with.
Answer: What is sleep?
The pressure to conform to beauty standards seen on social media often leads to this type of negative self-perception.
Answer: What is body dissatisfaction?
Cyberbullying, which frequently occurs on social media, can increase the risk of this serious mental health consequence in teens.
Answer: What is suicidal ideation?
Excessive exposure to content through algorithms can lead to this type of mental health issue, characterized by increased stress and anxiety.
Answer: What is information overload?
Despite the social nature of these platforms, heavy usage has been linked to increased feelings of this emotional state.
Answer: What is loneliness?
Many teens who take a social media break report reduced levels of this type of negative self-perception.
Answer: What is body dissatisfaction?
Teenagers often engage in this online activity, which can contribute to exploring or expressing their values and interests.
What is identity experimentation?
This coping strategy, which involves taking a break from online platforms, has been shown to improve mental well-being.
Answer: What is a digital detox?
Social media algorithms are often criticized for promoting this harmful activity, where users experience negative comparisons with others.
Answer: What is social comparison?
Teens may feel this pressure to act or appear a certain way in order to be accepted by their online peers.
Answer: What is peer pressure?
This is one practical tip for starting a digital detox, involving app removal or scheduled use.
Answer: What is setting boundaries?