Topic: Twitter is for Thickos

[chekovsulu]

The Daily Telegraph says that Facebook makes you cleverer.  They also say Twitter and Youtube makes you opposite of that.  There's also a bit in the end about television being linked to ADHD, which is silly because I've been raised on TV.  Fortunately, war games are good for brains.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/twitter/6147668/Facebook-enhances-intelligence-but-Twitter-diminishes-it-claims-psychologist.html

I put this in Chaos because I'm not sure how offensive the word "thicko" is and I don't want this to be true, Facebook wants me to use my real name (which it currently isn't, but they did once send me an e-mail warning me about fake names).

At the bottom of the article, they had a link to The Telegraph's Twitter page.

Facebook 'enhances intelligence' but Twitter
'diminishes it', claims psychologist
Spending time on the Facebook networking site could enhance
a key element of intelligence that is vital to success in life, a
psychologist has claimed, but using Twitter may have the
opposite effect.

Playing video war games and solving Sudoku may have the same effect as
keeping up to date with Facebook, according to Dr Tracy Alloway.

But text messaging, micro-blogging on ''Twitter'' and watching YouTube were
all likely to weaken ''working memory''.

Working memory involves the ability both to remember information and to use it.

At a job interview, a candidate will employ working memory to match answers
to questions in the most impressive way.

Dr Alloway, from the University of Stirling in Scotland, has extensively studied
working memory and believes it to be far more important to success and
happiness than IQ.

Her team has developed a working memory training programme that greatly
increased the performance of slow-learning children aged 11 to 14 at a school
in Durham.

After eight weeks of ''JungleMemory'' training, the children saw 10 point
improvements in IQ, literacy and numeracy tests.

A number who started off close to the bottom of the class ended up near the top.

''It was a massive effect,'' said Dr Alloway, who today gave a talk on working
memory at the start of the British Science Festival at the University of Surrey in
Guildford.

Video games that involve planning and strategy, such as those from the Total War
series, may also train working memory, Dr Alloway believes.

''I'm not saying they're good for your socialisation skills, but they do make you use
your working memory,'' she said.

''You're keeping track of past actions and mapping the actions you're going to take.''

Sudoku also stretched the working memory, as did keeping up with friends on
Facebook, she said.

But the ''instant'' nature of texting, Twitter and YouTube was not healthy for working
memory.

''On Twitter you receive an endless stream of information, but it's also very succinct,''
said Dr Alloway. ''You don't have to process that information.

''Your attention span is being reduced and you're not engaging your brain and
improving nerve connections.''

She said there was evidence linking TV viewing with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD) while extensive texting was associated with lower IQ scores.

[Robin-Graves]

And chicken causes sterility, Mountain Dew causes lower sperm count, There is a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow . Rock is the devils music ( actualy , rap is) and God was an astronaut.

And Midian is where the monsters live.
( Cheapie,,,name THAT movie lol)

[Skadi]

It's weird to make generaliztions like that. Any application can be used in any way.. it depends on the user.

   dufus 'experts'

[dweez]

Moved to Technology where it belongs.  Thanks for being sensitive cs, but I think we're alright here.

[mishca09]

i dont twitter and i dont do facebook, or myspace (accept to be nosy).

i can see how texting could contribute to lower iq scores, especially if the texter only reads and writes in texter talk.

[Discover99]

It's weird to make generaliztions like that. Any application can be used in any way.. it depends on the user.

   dufus 'experts'

qft

actually if i'd to choose between fb and twitter. it's rather the other way round.

[hmed2390]

It's weird to make generaliztions like that. Any application can be used in any way.. it depends on the user.

   dufus 'experts'

agreed. anbody can read a for dummies book and then talk on the subject, but it takes a real nerd to write a for dummies book.  

and in keeping with the theme of the stupidity of cyberhanging out on twitter, facebook,etc...

i present to you this:

 

[frankcapri]

I kinda agree with part of this "study".  If I spend a hour looking at youtube videos
and you ask me what I remember, I'll inevitably say, "I don't remember. I think one of them had a cat in it." 

[hmed2390]

well it makes sense, judging the kind of youtube videos we typically see on this forum. 

Clickity Click!

[Robin-Graves]

I find video games to do the same thing.

I see more and more kids that cand ballance a checkbook or read on a second grade level, but they can tell you how to beat the boss on level seven.

[Diabolico]

There is a direct lack of direct interaction on Twitter, where as with Facebook you can create a message, then have replies going from that OP, invite people you have added as friends to games and clubs.

Its possible to find messages/replies on Twitter about yourself and others, but you have to search to find them. This is kinda disturbing, I can't think of a word, disconnected; Twitter is disconnected, if that's the right way of putting it >_>.

With Facebook, every so often you get friend recommendations; those are people who are friends, of your friends. Example: You add Jack as a friend, jack is friends with Billy or whatever, you would receive an email with recommendations of people to add as friends, in this case to add Billy as a friend.

I don't get why it states "psychologist" and not a name, what is the purpose of the article and does it have an agenda to boot?

I find video games to do the same thing.

I see more and more kids that cand ballance a checkbook or read on a second grade level, but they can tell you how to beat the boss on level seven.

Practical skills; is home economics, or an equivalent still taught in schools?

[Robin-Graves]

nope, and niether is the constitution.

[Diabolico]

Whoa . Due to?

[8ullfrog]

Twitter is killing grammar and punctuation, as well as tense.

Robin, not many people need to balance a checkbook.

It's one of those vestigial skills, like knowing how to change a typewriter ribbon.

That being said, if one uses checks, one ought to know how to use a checkbook.

[Geemonster]

Well for one,i was raised on books,not the bloody TV.
TV was a privilage if we behaved ourselves.
  Youtube watchers,well have you seen some of the video comments?  People i daresay even the same age as myself arguing calling each other names,vulgarities and the like.
  I daresay there's lots of kids on there too.
I have a Facebook page,i hardly ever use it though,peoples spelling is atrocious.
  What the golly has happened to the education system both here and abroad.
I've heard of Twitter,never bothered to search for it,as in my mind it's for twits.
   I still read,and i enjoy it,it builds and uses your imagination,like nothing else can.
I feel im part of a dying breed.