I never really stop reading papers from psychology/behavior science (and neuroscience), which leads to some horrifying discoveries.
We are actively studying the effects of tv/internet/video viewing on kids and their reality status. There was a recent study on adult men. 😧 https://twitter.com/_queerioes/status/1326226403839324163
Kids: tv/net contain a mix of real AND fantastical events. Their prefrontal cortex (pfc) is extra active trying to distinguish between.
Adults: same increased activity when stimulated in specific way, but pfc + reality status is developed...
needs more study.
WE AREN’T STUDYING TEENS.

We aren’t studying the effects of video/net viewing nor PARASOCIAL INTERACTION on the activity of the (medial) Prefrontal Cortex in distinguishing between not-real and real.

Yes, I am suggesting we’re seeing conditioning of the pfc functions.
Points of interest in the anti scenario:
We see anti behavior skew younger, reflects generational tech consumption/use.
Anti behavior suggests they detect ‘a threat’ to characters— “rights”, “character wouldn’t like that”.
Indistinguishably real figure + Emotional link to figure
Anyways, there’s the scientific and testable framework for anti behavior. 😅
It involves continuous conditioning through early tech use/exposure and social reinforcement, affected reality status, activation of the medial prefrontal cortex, heightened via parasocial interaction.
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