Facebook boosts brain power in the elderly

aadmin — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:08:31 +0000

Facebook, the social media giant, has found favor with USA researchers as reported in the Australian news.com.au. Results from a recent study suggest that Facebook will help older adults - ranging in age from 68 to 91 - to maintain their brain power.

Group Number One

In the study, pensioners who learned to use the site, performed 25% better in tasks measuring their ability to utilize and monitor working memories. Those who became Facebook friends with those in their training group posted on the social media site at least once a day.

Group Number Two

Pensioners who refrained from utilizing Facebook kept an online diary with private entries but no social sharing.

Group Number Three

This group was kept on a waiting list for Facebook training.

The eight-week study involved a series of questionnaires and psychological tests measuring levels of loneliness, social support, and cognition. Facebook learners performed around 25 % better at mental abilities than at the study's start.

Participants in the other groups saw no significant change in performance.

Researchers from the University of Arizona, said the complex nature of Facebook's interface was the reason for the social networkers improved performance. Facebook's social nature gave it the edge over the other control groups.

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Facebook boosts brain power in the elderly