Scientists Believe Boozy Facebook Posts Are Causing an Increase in Binge Drinking
According to a news article, scientists worry about the problems students’ online posts on Facebook are causing. The students’ alcohol habits and problems caused by it are now available for all to see on their profile pages. This raises concern about the impact of the “alcohol identity” of others viewing their pictures and status updates.
This was the first world study done that traced Facebook accounts and drinking patterns of over 150 Australian students at universities from the ages of 18 to 24. Mr. Ridout, with the University of Sydney, said their study found half of the students they surveyed had some form of alcohol featured in their profile picture and noted that people with twice the amount of alcohol-related photos had twice the amount of problems with alcohol.
Ridout also discovered that adolescents portraying themselves as “drinkers” only encouraged others to drink. Those who highlight alcohol in their online identity are at the highest risk of such things as blackouts, fights and unwanted sexual encounters. He also believes the more drinking is portrayed as being socially attractive on Facebook, the more it encourages an online arena that makes binge drinking seem normal among peers.
Over 96 percent of the students surveyed said they drank alcohol and over half of them reported problematic alcohol use, according to an identification test done for alcohol use disorders.
