Reports, studies, and a blog post

The Washington Post's, Campus Overload Blog published an intriguing post yesterday. In Fighting a Social Media Addiction, author Jenna Johnson highlights a study done by the University of Maryland in which 200 students were challenged to go without social media for 24 hours. To say they were distressed is a kind understatement.

"But just read the blogs these students wrote after the traumatic experience -- it's very easy to confuse these students with crack addicts who went cold-turkey, smokers not given the comfort of a patch while quitting, alcoholics forced to dry up. The university's new release on the study last week reported that some descriptions popped up over and over: "In withdrawal. Frantically craving. Very anxious. Extremely antsy. Miserable. Jittery. Crazy."' -- Campus Overload, 4/26/10

The study, A Day Without Media, was conducted by ICMPA and students at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland.

"What is is like to go without media? What if you had to give up your cell phone, iPod, television, car radio, magazines, newspapers and computer (i.e. no texting, no Facebook or IM-ing)?" -- A Day Without Media

It's not as simple as it sounds, I hesitate to divulge how many times a day I check email, Bloglines, Facebook, watch Hulu, or .... regardless, students were significantly impacted by the loss of their social media tools. This study was interesting following on two Pew Internet reports this spring: Social Media and Young Adults and Teens and Mobile Phones.

Is it any wonder libraries are exploring viable ways to use these tools to reach and teach students?

Update: 4/28/10 See also ...

• Students Denied Social Media Go Through Withdrawal, U. of Maryland Researchers Say
  Wired Campus, The Chronicle
• Students Addicted to Social Media
  New UM Study, Press Release, UM