New Media Users Socialize Online, Not At Meals

Individuals who are avid users of new media, including smartphones and social media like Facebook and Twitter, tend to eat meals while at the computer rather than at the kitchen table and use social media as the main source of recipe and nutritional information, according to an extensive survey of students at Rochester (N.Y.) Institute of Technology. According to the researcher, a meal is no longer considered by college students as a central activity in and of itself, either for enjoyment or communication. Students are no less social than their parents, but socialization is directly connected to new media. “Eating is now just one of several activities being multitasked at once, all of which generally involve computers and smartphones," the researcher said.