A comparative study of short-term social media use with face-to-face interaction in adolescence

Background/Objectives: Previous research suggests that social media use can have immediate cognitive effects, raising concerns about its impact on adolescent cognition. This study aimed to examine the short-term cognitive effects of acute social media exposure and screen time habits by comparing cognitive performance in adolescents (13–15 years old) following 30 min of social media interaction versus face-to-face conversation, according to their screen time habits (more or less time spent in front of a screen). Methods: A total of 66 participants were divided into four groups: a social media group who used to spend less than 540 min per week in front of a screen (n = 19, a social media group with a habit of more than 540 min per week of screen time (n = 14), a face-to-face conversation group with a habit of less screen time per week (n = 15), and a face-to-face conversation group who used to spend more time per week in front of a screen (n = 18). Cognitive performance was assessed through attention (D2 Test), working memory (Corsi Blocks), abstract reasoning (Abstract Reasoning Test Battery), and inhibitory control (Go/No-Go Task). Additionally, mental effort was measured using a Visual Analogue Scale. Results: Contrary to our hypothesis, no significant differences emerged between groups in any cognitive domain or mental effort, with interaction modality and screen time showing no impact on response variables. Also, we found no significant interaction effect between factors. This suggests that a single 30-min session of social media use does not immediately impair cognition, nor does face-to-face interaction enhance it, despite screen time spent per week (when it varies from 135 to 540 min and from more than 540 to 1320 min). Conclusions: The absence of cognitive effects may be explained by excessive screen time as a key factor in cognitive impact and by the cultural integration of social media, creating a “ceiling effect” that minimizes the impact of short-term exposure and resembles addictive behavior. These findings emphasize the importance of a holistic approach involving families, schools, and governments to address both acute and cumulative social media use in adolescents.