HOW IS SOCIAL MEDIA REALLY AFFECTING YOUR BRAIN? (( post eight ))

As time has progressed, communication has become more and more consumed by technology, with keeping in touch being more heavily focused on screen to screen and less on face to face interaction. With social media constantly becoming more prevalent in teens' daily lives, the long lasting effects on various aspects of their wellbeing are starting to reveal themselves. 

Researchers at UCLA's Brain Mapping Center discovered that when teenagers' photos gain more and more 'likes' on their social media pages, their brains' reward centers respond in a similar way to winning money or seeing a loved one. With this instant gratification that coincides with receiving a lot of positive feedback comes a desire to feed the ongoing obsession with social media, thus increasing usage and allowing the use of apps like Instagram and Facebook to become second nature.  

Because one's teenage years are such a crucial time for social learning, how teens interact on a daily basis can have a long-lasting impact on their development of social skills. Research has shown that with the rise of social media, people are learning to read likes and shares instead of facial expressions. Therefore, instead of face-to-face interaction where we can see a person's emotions via physical and verbal cues, we are now gauging people's reactions and responses via the number of likes, retweets, or shares we receive. 

Therefore, our time spent on social media is having an altering effect on the brain, causing it to adapt and grow. While our ability to read the subtleties of facial expressions might be becoming duller, we are much quicker at monitoring what's going on among a group of friends. While the changing of skills can be argued as a strength or weakness, it is clear that social media is having a greater impact than one might think. 

VILLAIN TO HERO: HOW CORINNE BOUNCED BACK (( post seven ))

Corinne Olympios. For any viewer of the most recent season of The Bachelor, this name brings up a mix of emotions. Notorious for her outrageous behavior and legendary one-liners, this contestant was painted as the season villain practically before the first episode had even finished airing. While her constant calls for attention easily rubbed many the wrong way, the online community slowly started to sing a different tune as the season developed with regard to Corinne. 

So what caused the change of heart? From night one to the post-season interview, Corinne stayed Corinne through and through. Although her personality and comical antics didn't budge, her portrayal on camera slowly morphed as the weeks progressed. Interviews, camera shots and even background music showcasing Corinne changed from showing a hated and shunned villain to a fun-loving comedic relief. 

With the change in producer tactic came a change in viewer attitude. In comparing tweets and conversations about the contestant from the first night to the last, it is drastically obvious how differently the audience received her. During the final night of the show where a live audience is included, countless fans can be seen wearing t-shirts and other merchandise showcasing some of Corinne's most notorious quotes, showing their support and love for the contestant.     

Above tweet: composed early on in the season

Above photo: example of available merchandise 

Whether people have grown to love Corinne as a genuine person or simply as a joke, it is clear that the public has accepted and embraced her. This newfound acceptance is a direct result of how she was marketed as a person by the producers, indicating the power of portrayal.