What do sex, sleep and social media have in common? They are each something everyone age 18 to 85 desires!
But… a recent study by the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business showed that the urge to check our Facebook and Twitter accounts is stronger than our urge for sex and sleep. In fact, the study noted the need to check Twitter and other social media is so strong that they may be even more addictive than alcohol and cigarettes.
Why you may ask? They are accessible 24 hours a day, they have a relatively low cost (the price of a pack of cigarettes in New York is nearly $12), they have virtually no perceived health risks and they provide a “high.” MIT conducted a study that revealed that people get similar sensations when using Facebook as when they play an instrument or engage in other creative activities.
As expected, social media use is so strong among college students that several universities have engaged their students in “no social media for 24 hours” exercises as part of their class curriculum.
Could you survive 24 hours without checking or answering your messages?