After A Few Minutes Of Social Media, This Happens - Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman

Summary

The video script delves into the psychological impact of cell phones and social media on dopamine levels. It explains that initial exposure to social media triggers a significant dopamine release due to novelty and excitement. However, as users continue to scroll, the novelty fades, leading to a shift towards obsessive-compulsive behaviors, driven by the intermittent reward system of social media algorithms. The script contrasts dopamine's role in seeking and novelty with serotonin's role in contentment and satisfaction, highlighting the addictive nature of social media.

Takeaways

• 📱 **Dopamine Release and Novelty**: Using a phone or social media for the first time after a break can lead to a substantial release of dopamine due to the novelty and excitement.
• 🧠 **Dopamine vs. Serotonin**: Dopamine is associated with pursuit, excitement, and seeking, whereas serotonin brings about feelings of satisfaction, contentment, and quiescence.
• 🚀 **Dopamine and Addiction**: High dopamine levels, as seen with drug use like cocaine or methamphetamine, drive relentless pursuit and addiction-like behaviors.
• 🔄 **Shift from Dopamine to Compulsive Behavior**: After the initial dopamine rush, social media use can shift to compulsive behavior, similar to OCD, where the act of scrolling becomes an end in itself.
• 🔄 **The Fade of Dopamine**: The dopamine release from social media quickly diminishes as the novelty fades, leading to a state where users scroll without a clear reason.
• 🎰 **Intermittent Rewards and Algorithms**: Social media algorithms are designed to provide intermittent and random rewards, similar to gambling, which keeps users engaged and seeking the next 'hit'.
• 🌐 **Signal to Noise Ratio**: Users are drawn to high-signal content amidst the noise, such as significant news or tragic events, which can further perpetuate the cycle of compulsive scrolling.
• 🤔 **Questioning Motivations**: The speaker prompts users to question why they continue to scroll on social media, highlighting the lack of inherent interest or reward.
• 🧐 **Observing Behavioral Patterns**: Comparing human social media behavior to animal experiments can reveal unhealthy patterns, such as the compulsive digging for a nonexistent reward.
• 🔗 **Call to Action**: The speaker encourages viewers to reflect on their social media habits and consider the impact on their mental state and well-being.

Q & A

What is the role of dopamine in our response to phones and social media?

Dopamine is associated with novelty, surprise, and excitement. It is released in substantial amounts when we first use social media after a break, leading to a state of readiness and anticipation. However, as the novelty fades, the dopamine release decreases, and the behavior can shift towards an obsessive-compulsive pattern.

How does dopamine differ from serotonin in terms of our brain's response?

Dopamine is about pursuit and excitement, driving us towards novel experiences outside our immediate sphere. In contrast, serotonin is associated with satisfaction, quiescence, and comfort with what we have, promoting a more contented state within our immediate environment.

What is the effect of high dopamine levels, as seen in individuals using stimulants like cocaine or methamphetamine?

High dopamine levels, as seen with stimulant use, result in a strong drive for pursuit, characterized by a constant seeking of reward and excitement.

How do selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Prozac or Zoloft affect serotonin levels?

SSRIs increase serotonin levels, which can lead to feelings of satisfaction and contentment. However, if the dosage is too high, it can result in side effects like lack of appetite, low libido, and a general sense of indifference towards life.

Why do we continue to scroll on social media even when it's no longer providing novelty?

The behavior can shift from seeking novelty to an obsessive-compulsive pattern where the compulsion to scroll serves to increase the obsession, even without the initial dopaminergic reward.

How do social media algorithms contribute to our continued use of platforms?

Social media algorithms are designed to provide intermittent random rewards, which is a powerful way to keep users engaged. The unpredictability of when a rewarding piece of content will appear mimics the effect of gambling, encouraging users to keep scrolling for the next 'hit' of dopamine.

What is the difference between the initial dopaminergic response to social media and the subsequent behavior?

Initially, social media provides a dopaminergic rush of reward, surprise, and excitement. As time goes on, this response wanes, and the behavior can become more compulsive, driven by the anticipation of the next reward rather than the reward itself.

How does the concept of 'signal to noise' apply to social media content?

In the context of social media, 'signal to noise' refers to the ratio of valuable or interesting content (signal) to irrelevant or mundane content (noise). Users are drawn to the 'signal' or high-quality content, which can trigger dopamine release, while the 'noise' is less engaging.

What is the psychological comparison made between an animal exhibiting compulsive behavior and a person scrolling on social media?

The script compares a person endlessly scrolling on social media to an animal compulsively digging for a bone, suggesting that such behavior, when observed, might be seen as a sign of distress or compulsion, similar to an animal's repetitive, unrewarded actions.

Why might the speaker not want to demonize social media algorithms despite their potential to encourage compulsive behavior?

The speaker acknowledges that while social media algorithms can encourage compulsive behaviors by leveraging the power of intermittent random rewards, they also provide significant value and are a part of the speaker's own life, suggesting a balanced view of their utility and potential drawbacks.

Outlines

00:00

📱 Dopamine and Smartphone Addiction

The paragraph discusses the impact of smartphones and social media on dopamine release in the brain. It explains that the novelty of social media triggers a substantial dopamine response, which is associated with feelings of excitement and anticipation. The speaker contrasts dopamine with serotonin, highlighting that while dopamine drives us to seek novelty, serotonin promotes contentment and satisfaction with our current state. The paragraph then delves into how the initial dopamine rush from social media quickly diminishes, leading to a compulsive behavior similar to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), where the user continues scrolling without the initial reward. The speaker also touches on the role of social media algorithms in perpetuating this behavior by providing intermittent, random rewards, akin to gambling, which keeps users engaged in the hope of the next 'hit' of dopamine.

Keywords

💡Dopamine

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with the brain's reward and pleasure centers. It is linked to desire and motivation, and plays a role in how the brain perceives reward and pleasure. In the video, dopamine is discussed as being released when using social media, particularly when encountering novel content, which is likened to the excitement of a 'dopamine hit'. The speaker uses the example of checking social media after a long period to illustrate the substantial dopamine release.

💡Novelty

Novelty refers to something new or unfamiliar. The video script discusses how dopamine is associated with novelty and surprise, which can trigger a sense of excitement and readiness. The concept is used to explain the initial appeal of social media, where new content is constantly presented to the user, stimulating a dopamine response.

💡Serotonin

Serotonin is another neurotransmitter that contributes to feelings of well-being and happiness. It is contrasted with dopamine in the video, where it is described as promoting a sense of satisfaction and contentment, as opposed to the pursuit-driven nature of dopamine. The speaker mentions how high levels of serotonin can lead to a more quiescent state, using the example of side effects from selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

💡Anticipation

Anticipation is the expectation or looking forward to a future event. It is mentioned in relation to dopamine, as the neurotransmitter is associated with preparing the body for action in response to exciting or novel stimuli. The script describes how dopamine puts us into states of anticipation and seeking.

💡Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior

Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior (OCD) is characterized by recurring, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). In the context of the video, the speaker suggests that after the initial dopamine rush from social media, users may exhibit behaviors similar to OCD, where they continue to scroll despite the novelty wearing off, akin to compulsions that do not provide relief from anxiety.

💡Signal to Noise

Signal to noise is a metaphorical term used to describe the ratio of valuable information (signal) to irrelevant or distracting information (noise). The video uses this term to describe the experience of social media scrolling, where users sift through a lot of uninteresting content (noise) in hopes of finding something engaging or valuable (signal).

💡Intermittent Random Reward

Intermittent Random Reward is a psychological concept where rewards are given sporadically and unpredictably, which can reinforce behavior. The video script explains how social media algorithms use this principle to keep users engaged, by occasionally presenting exciting or rewarding content amidst a lot of mundane updates.

💡Algorithms

Algorithms are sets of rules or processes used to solve problems or perform calculations. In the video, algorithms refer to the systems that social media platforms use to curate and display content. The speaker discusses how these algorithms are designed to provide intermittent rewards, which can lead to compulsive behavior in users.

💡Gambling

Gambling is the act of betting something of value on an event with an uncertain outcome, with the primary intent of winning additional money or material goods. The video compares the experience of social media scrolling to gambling, as both involve an element of chance and the pursuit of an intermittent reward, which can lead to addictive behaviors.

💡Satiety

Satiety is the feeling of fullness or satisfaction after eating. It is used in the video to contrast with the constant seeking behavior associated with dopamine. The speaker mentions how serotonin can lead to a state of satiety and contentment, as opposed to the never-ending pursuit of dopamine.

💡Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that transmit signals across a synapse from one neuron to another. The video discusses two specific neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin, and their roles in human behavior and emotions. Understanding neurotransmitters is key to grasping the video's exploration of how social media affects brain chemistry.

Highlights

Phones and social media can trigger a substantial release of dopamine due to their novelty and excitement.

Dopamine is linked to novelty, surprise, and the pursuit of things outside our immediate sphere.

Serotonin, in contrast to dopamine, makes us feel satisfied and comfortable with what we have.

High dopamine levels are associated with a 'go-go-go' mentality, similar to the effects of cocaine or methamphetamine.

Serotonin-rich states, induced by drugs like Prozac or Zoloft, can lead to a lack of appetite and libido.

The initial dopamine rush from cell phones and social media is quickly replaced by a sense of compulsion.

Social media algorithms are designed to keep users engaged through intermittent random rewards.

The pursuit of dopamine through social media can resemble obsessive-compulsive behaviors.

The novelty of social media fades as users scroll, leading to a search for the next dopamine hit.

Social media platforms use high signal-to-noise ratios to capture user attention with dramatic content.

The gravitational pull of tragic or sensational content can increase the compulsion to scroll.

The comparison of social media scrolling to gambling highlights the unpredictable nature of dopamine rewards.

The transition from initial excitement to compulsive behavior on social media mirrors animal experiments.

The discussion suggests that excessive social media use may be indicative of an underlying issue.

The speaker acknowledges the role of social media in their life while also critiquing its addictive nature.

The call to action encourages viewers to watch the full episode and subscribe for more content.

Transcripts

just how triggering are our phones when

it comes to dopamine okay great question

we often hear that

you know the social media getting

dopamine hit after dopamine hit

when we first get on social media after

a walk for the first time or after a

long period of time the amount of

dopamine that's released we think is

quite substantial it's novel remember

dopamine is about novelty surprise and

the sense that we are on some exciting

track that's what dopamine is really

about it puts us into states of

readiness anticipation looking seeking

etc almost always for things outside the

confines of our skin

just to contrast it maybe for a bit more

of a future discussion

serotonin does the opposite when there's

a lot of serotonin in our brain and body

typically it makes us feel satisfied

stated more quiescent comfortable with

what we have in our own immediate sphere

and within us right the comfort of a

good meal the food you have dopamine is

about go go go if you look at somebody

who's high on cocaine or methamphetamine

it's all about pursuit because that's a

very dopaminergic drug you look at

somebody who's taken a drug

and i'm not suggesting people do this

but it really ramps up serotonin let's

say a selective serotonin reuptake

inhibitor prozag zoloft etc

the side effects of those drugs if the

dosages are too high lack of appetite

lack of libido

kind of meh about life you know then so

they'll adjust the dose down that's

because those are serotonergic drugs

so

in in general

we are in pursuit of things dopamine is

is quite high so

now you have to remind me your question

because i've set up the dopamine

serotonin

cell phones yes

um forgive me so

the thing about cell phones is when you

first get on there

and you haven't let's say you're no

wi-fi on the flight or something and you

land it can actually be quite

stimulating you get a lot of dope i mean

oh there's this oh there's that but very

quickly when you're scrolling on social

media

you're no longer getting the novelty but

you're continuing to do it you almost

don't know why you're doing it at that

point it shifts over to something that's

a bit more like an obsessive compulsive

behavior where that we can define an

obsessive-compulsive behavior where the

obsession leads to a compulsion so the

obsession is a thought the compulsion is

a behavior but the acting out of the

compulsion merely serves to increase the

obsession

right this is very different than being

obsessed with food or obsessed with

cleanliness there's no payoff right

exactly there's no anxiety relief by

carrying out the compulsion with ocd

behaviors

like scrolling social media the dopamine

quickly wanes and then you find that

you're just sort of and we've all been

there you're scrolling like why am i

doing this this isn't that interesting

that is this isn't that interesting now

the algorithms for social media are very

clever and i don't want to demonize it i

you know provide a lot of a lot of my

life is spent on you know on social

media now but

in the algorithms that they've

incorporated function on the the most

powerful

way to keep people doing a behavior or

an animal for that matter is

intermittent random reward a random

intermittent reward that you don't know

when you're going to hit the jackpot so

you're scrolling you're scrolling and

then you see something typically it's

very high what you know in nerd speak

we'd say signal to noise so if you're

reading some interesting things this

came out in the news this came out and

then it's all of a sudden a riot

or a person that is jumped base jumping

off a building or um you know for people

that are are scrolling looking at bodies

or something like that live bodies so

hopefully people aren't looking at the

dead bodies but look if something's very

tragic then that has this gravitational

pull and then you what happens is you

start getting

the system working for that next

dopamine hit that you don't know when

it's going to come it's just like

gambling so i look at social media as

initially being very dopaminergic

driving reward surprise and excitement

but very quickly transitioning to

something more like ocd

and the kinds of behaviors where it

looks if you if we were to look at

ourselves through the lens of an

experiment like we would an animal

experiment we think that animal is sick

if you saw an animal digging in the

corner looking looking looking looking

for a bone the dog is looking looking

looking looking looking looking looking

looking you'd think that's really sad

that's us what's happening people if you

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peace

you