Adolescent Brains and Social Media: What Every Parent Should Know with Professor Eva Telzer

In this insightful episode of The Hamilton Review Podcast, Dr. Bob Hamilton welcomes Professor Eva Telzer, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, for an important conversation about adolescent brain development and the impact of social media on today's youth. Drawing from her article for the American Psychological Association, Professor Telzer explains how the teenage brain is uniquely shaped by social experiences, why social media can be both beneficial and harmful, and what current neuroscience reveals about the ways digital platforms influence behavior, emotions, and decision-making during adolescence. Parents, educators, and caregivers will gain valuable insights into how social media interacts with the developing brain, the role of peer relationships in teen development, and practical considerations for helping young people navigate an increasingly connected world. This thoughtful discussion offers evidence-based guidance for understanding the challenges and opportunities facing adolescents in the digital age. Eva Telzer is a Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at UNC Chapel Hill. She is an Associate Editor for the leading journals of the field, including Child Development, Social Cognitive Affective Neuroscience, and Brain and Environment. Her research examines how social and cultural processes shape adolescent brain development, with a focus on both prosocial and risk-taking behaviors, family and peer relationships, and the role of the digital environment in youth's lives. Her research has been continuously funded for over two decades by numerous agencies and foundations including the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Templeton Foundation, and the Jacobs Foundation. She has authored more than 200 scientific manuscripts and book chapters and has received numerous awards for her work including an Association for Psychological Science Rising Star Award, an early career award from the Society of Research on Adolescence, a Young Investigator Award from the Flux Congress Society for Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, and the American Psychological Association Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution to Psychology. She is regularly featured as an expert in psychological science in consultation to government agencies and non-profit associations as well as media appearances in The New York Times, NPR, CNN, ABC, CBS, and NBC.   How to contact Professor Eva Telzer:   Professor Eva Telzer     How to contact Dr. Bob: Dr. Bob on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChztMVtPCLJkiXvv7H5tpDQ Dr. Bob on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drroberthamilton/ Dr. Bob on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bob.hamilton.1656 Dr. Bob's Seven Secrets Of The Newborn website: https://7secretsofthenewborn.com/ Dr. Bob's website: https://roberthamiltonmd.com/ Pacific Ocean Pediatrics: http://www.pacificoceanpediatrics.com/