Social networking sites have been blamed for a whole lot lately; every time there is a divorce, failed grades or even difficulty in communication, the blame is laid down on a person’s dependence on social networking sites. This time round, social networking site Facebook receives a pat on the back instead of cruel words.

Dr. Tracy Alloway, a psychologist from University of Stirling, Scotland, claims that using Facebook is akin to solving Sudoku or playing a video war game. According to Dr. Alloway, keeping track of friends and events on Facebook encludes the use of working memory which involves remembering and manipulating information. Working memory is considered as the part of short term memory that one would use to solve a mathematical problem or a riddle. Dr. Alloway conducted an 8 week study on slow learning 11 to 14 year olds and found that training in working memory increased their IQ by 10 points and enhanced their numerical and linguistic skills.

Insisting that a better working memory is more important than IQ for success and happiness, Dr. Alloway added that the absence of the need to process information during texting, Tweeting and watching YouTube would weaken the working memory.

Via: Telegraph