Study: Social Media “Rewiring” Your Child’s Brain

If your tween or teen is like most of our kids in New Jersey, and constantly on social media, there's not a lot to "like." That's according to a study from University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, where researchers discovered popular social media platforms actually can 'rewire' adolescent brains, addicting them to 'likes.'

During that time of development, there are "significant structural and functional reorganization changes" going on in the adolescent brain, say the researchers. "Neural regions involved in motivational relevance and affective become hyperactive, orienting teens to rewarding stimuli in their environment, particularly from peers." In non-science speak, that means "doing it for the likes" or hearts, or thumbs-up becomes an obsession.

The study looked at the social media behavior of 169 sixth and seventh grade students at three public schools in North Carolina over a three year period. Some participants admitted checking platforms like Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram as many as 20 times a day.  Other research showed 35% of people in this demographic scan their socials "almost constantly."

The researchers say such behavior makes social media users crave the 'likes' from stuff they post, and fear finding negative feedback. The UNC study says young people who check their socials more than 15 times a day are at the highest risk. "Our findings suggest that checking behaviors on social media in early adolescence may tune the brain’s sensitivity to potential social rewards and punishments," says the researchers' findings, which were published in JAMA Pediatrics.

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Just as many of us at the stroke of midnight on January 1, 2023 have decided to make some changes in our lives, New Jersey has done the same. The Garden State will be implementing new laws that will go into effect this month or in the later months of 2023, per NJ Advance Media. According to the publication, Gov. Phil Murphy signed these laws in the past year but many don't go into effect immediately.

Take a look at some new state laws that will go into effect sometime this year:

New Jerseyans will be facing a higher insurance rate which took effect on Jan. 1. According to the outlet, Jersey drivers will spend $125 more a year for insurance, according to industry officials.

Last year, Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law that people could not carry guns into "sensitive areas" about six months after the U.S. Supreme Court made it easier to get a gun permit. "Sensitive areas" include "schools, courthouses, child care centers, nursing homes, polling places, government buildings, hospitals, bars, and restaurants where alcohol is served, airports, parks, beaches, demonstrations, movie theaters, casinos, and other entertainment centers," NJ Advance Media previously reported.

Murphy's decision on stopping people from carrying guns into "sensitive places" took effect Dec. 22; other provisions are slated to be phased in over the coming months, the publication reports.

According to the outlet, a new law will allow teens who are 16 and 17 work up to 50 hours per week during the summer in New Jersey. Previously, teens could only work up to 40 hours.

This took effect on Jan. 1.

In this new voter privacy law that Gov. Murphy signed back in July, it states that polling stations in New Jersey "will have privacy sleeves for the printed ballot so poll workers or anybody nearby can’t see who you voted for in between the time it takes to slide your ballot into the scanner." The law (A3817) also lets registered voters update their name and address online.

This took effect on Jan. 1.

Murphy signed a new law in July that will require gun owners in New Jersey to register their firearms purchased from out of state. He also signed another gun-related law that will make "manufacturers and dealers to keep a detailed electronic record of handgun ammunition sales in New Jersey and report them to the State Police."

Both are to go into effect on Feb. 1.

Places of worship that have more than 500 seats, entertainment venues with more than 1,000 seats, and entertainment facilities including sports arenas with more than 5,000 seats are to soon set up with first responders and local law enforcement a plan of action in case of a mass shooting.

This law will take effect on June 1.

This new law will make getting unemployment benefits for out-of-work New Jersey residents obtained faster. It is also supposed to extend the time for appeals and increase the fine for employers who make it harder to gain information about claims.

This law takes effect on July 31.