April 28, 2025
Meghan O'Toole
Nu Rho Psi hosts event exploring connections between social media and the brain
On March 20, 2025, the Lake Forest College chapter of Nu Rho Psi hosted "Demure Perspectives on Social Media"—an interactive educational event exploring the nuanced relationship between the brain and social media.
The event was made possible by an Activity Grant from the national neuroscience honors society Nu Rho Psi. The Lake Forest College chapter was awarded the grant thanks to the work of chapter co-presidents Hridey Kapoor '25 and Nilu Imomdodova '25 as well as faculty advisor Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Neuroscience Paul Henne.
Kapoor and Imomdodova crafted a detailed grant proposal mapping out the event's focus on educating students and faculty on the neuroscience behind social media addiction. Henne advised the students throughout the grant proposal process, and the students gained valuable insight into grant processes.
“The event highlighted the interdisciplinary importance of neuroscience and mental wellness in today’s digital world.”
Assistant Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience Hannah Carlson agreed to give a lecture on the neurobiology of addiction and social media use. The event also included a screening of the 2020 documentary The Social Dilemma, which explores the psychological manipulation techniques used by social media and technology companies to create an addiction for social media users.
“We strongly believe that through projects and events like these, we can raise awareness about the effects of social media among our peers,” Kapoor and Imomdodova said in a joint statement. “Our goal is not to discourage its use, but rather to promote mindful usage that brings value and benefit. In today’s digital age, it's essential to understand both the advantages and potential harms of social media. Just as we manage our eating habits for better health, we must also learn to manage our media consumption for our well-being.”
The event highlighted the interdisciplinary importance of neuroscience and mental wellness in today’s digital world.
“One of the most valuable parts of this kind of event is getting students from a variety of different disciplines to engage with one another about these different topics in neuroethics,” Henne said. “Interdisciplinary engagement is critical to events like this at the College.”