adolescence

5 Social Media Myths That Won't Die (And What Research Actually Shows)

Every few months, another headline screams about how social media is destroying a generation. As someone who studies this stuff professionally, I find myself constantly correcting the same misconceptions. Let’s break down five persistent myths and what the research actually shows.

The Teenage Brain: It's Not Broken, It's Under Construction

Every time a teenager does something risky or impulsive, someone inevitably says “their prefrontal cortex isn’t fully developed yet.” While technically true, this framing misses something important: the adolescent brain isn’t deficient—it’s optimized for a specific developmental phase.

FOMO Is Real, But It's Not New

Fear of Missing Out—FOMO—has become synonymous with the social media age. But here’s something that might surprise you: FOMO isn’t actually new. What’s new is the scale.

Peer Pressure Isn't What You Think It Is

When most people hear “peer pressure,” they picture a scene from an after-school special: a group of cool kids explicitly pressuring someone to smoke, drink, or do something dangerous. “Come on, everyone’s doing it!”

Are Online Friendships 'Real' Friendships?

I often hear adults dismiss teenagers’ online friendships as somehow less valid than “real” friendships. This always strikes me as both wrong and a bit ironic—many of those same adults met their partners online.