An American study suggests(1) that social media can affect your thinking(2) about other(3) people.
We asked(4) young people how many(5) friends they have on Facebook.
COLLEGE(6) STUDENTS: “I’ve never actually(7), like, stopped and looked at it.
Probably somewhere between(8), like, 350 and 400 — I don’t know.” “I would definitely(9) be on Facebook all the time(10), like, ‘Wow, she’s here, he’s there.’”
“Yeah, I’m a heavy(11) user. I rely(12) a lot on it. I find myself(13) checking(12) it multiple times a day.”
Researchers at Utah Valley University wanted to explore if the amount of time spent(15) on Facebook affected how users saw(16) others. They asked college students if other people have better(17) and happier(18) lives.
And, how long(19) they had used the website and how many hours a week they spend(20) following(21) Facebook friends.
The study found(22) students who were more involved with Facebook were more likely(23) to think other people’s lives(24) were happier.
Psychologist Tod Kashdan read(25) the Utah findings(26).
TOD KASHDAN: “They’re hearing(27) all these great things happening(28) from other people and feeling(29) that they’re making a downward comparison(30) to themselves.
Such that(31) they’re viewing themselves(32) as ‘My life isn’t as interesting(33) or satisfying(34) as other people’s lives look like(35).”
It is easy to think that one’s Facebook friends are always happy because they usually(36) tell only about(37) good things in their lives.
Some students say they understand that someone’s Facebook profile(38) may not show(39) the whole truth(40) about the person.
NICOLLE MAY: “I give people the impression that my life is perfect and there’s nothing wrong(41) with it when there is so much, so it’s really false, it’s like someone else(42) completely with my face.”
MARAM MOHAMED: “I’m aware(43) that whatever(44) people post on Facebook isn’t necessarily, like, what their entire(45) life is made of.
I feel like people put on, like, a fake picture(46) of themselves and try(47) to make themselves look a lot better(48) than they actually are in real life when they’re online.”
Tod Kashdan says it is important to live your own(49) life.
TOD KASHDAN: “Don’t spend a lot of time just(50) looking at other people’s positive events.
Share(51) your own and see who are your true friends(52), who really cares for(53) the things that happen(54) to you.”
Psychologists say Facebook users should(55) spend time with their real friends, and not on the “Facebook friends” they may hardly even know(56). I’m June
______________________________________________________________VOCABULARY
- Suggests = sugere
- Thinking = pensamento
- Other = outro(a)
- Asked = perguntamos
- how many = quantos
- College = Faculdade
- Actually = na verdade, realmente
- Between = entre
- Definitely = definitivamente
- all the time = o tempo todo
- heavy = pesado(a)
- rely on = contar com, confiar em
- I find myself = eu me encontro
- Checking = verificando
- amount of time spent = quantidade de tempo gasto
- saw = viam
- better = melhor
- happier = mais feliz
- how long = por quanto tempo
- spend = gastam
- following = seguindo
- found = descobriu
- likely = propenso, suscetível
- lives = vidas
- read = leu
- findings = descobertas
- hearing = escutando
- things happening = coisas acontecendo
- feeling = sentindo
- downward comparison = comparação para baixo
- Such that = de tal forma que
- viewing themselves = vendo a si mesmos
- interesting = interessante
- satisfying = satisfatorio(a)
- look like = parecem
- usually = normalmente
- only about = somente sobre
- profile = perfil
- may not show = pode não mostrar
- whole truth = verdade inteira
- there’s nothing wrong = não há nada errado
- someone else = alguma outra pessoa
- aware = ciente, consciente
- whatever = o que quer que
- entire = inteiro(a)
- fake picture = foto falsa
- try = tentar
- look a lot better = parecer muito melhor
- own = próprio(a)
- just = apenas
- Share = compartilhe
- true friends = amigos verdadeiros
- cares for = importer-se com
- happen = acontecem
- should = deveriam
- they may hardly even know = eles mal podem sequer conhecer