• Question: why are things, like social networking sites, addictive?

    Asked by imogenn to Mike, Pip, Tianfu, Tim, Tom on 26 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Tim Stephens

      Tim Stephens answered on 26 Jun 2012:

      For me, it’s because I’m nosy to see what my friends are up to. I guess that they are nosy back too.

    • Photo: Tom Lister

      Tom Lister answered on 26 Jun 2012:

      I guess we all have a desire to be part of a community; and its fun to see what other people are doing without them knowing!

    • Photo: Philippa Bird

      Philippa Bird answered on 27 Jun 2012:

      It’s more than that. I think it goes back to cavemen times, when we were programmed that if something gives us pleasure it is necesary for survival. That’s why eating and sex are pleasurable, because otherwise no-one would do them and the species would die out.
      That was before modern man came around, and a whole load of other things that aren’t necesary for survival give us pleasure…
      Now, you know that drugs and such are addictive for chemical reasons, but things that are addictive that are not themselves chemicals (facebook, farmville, angry birds, even checking up on your crush) are still creating chemicals in the pleasure centre of your brain, and you become addicted to this pleasure response. It’s a reward thing (did someone reply to your post, did you complete a level).
      Of course, facebook is also good procrastination from your homework…

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