B2 – Upper Intermediate
TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to create and share short-form videos with a wide range of music, filters, and other effects. Studies have shown that its usage can activate the release of dopamine in the brain, which is associated with pleasure and reward. The fast-paced, highly-engaging nature of TikTok videos can make it difficult for users to look away and can lead to addiction.
Watch the video about TikTok’s impact on the brain, behavior, and mental health.
Vocabulary Questions:
- What is “dopamine hit“? “They are getting these dopamine hits that feel good, just the way it does when people sometimes use drugs or they use alcohol, or they become addicted to other things.” Explain what it does to our body.
- What does the phrase “spike up” mean, “We see that it gets spiked up.“? Use it in a sentence. Ex. Running up the stairs spike up my heart rate.
- What does the idiom “take [ the bull ] by the horns” mean, “As an adult, I can take that by the horns and just make a change.“? Make one sentence using this expression. Ex. I took the bull by the horns and confronted him about his mistreatment of the workers.
Discussion Questions:
- According to the video, what is a “TikTok Brain”?
- Do you have a “TikTok” account? If so, how do you feel when you’re engaged on it? How does it affect you?
- What are some negative effects of it and what do you think of this?
- What might be the positive effects of scrolling and scrolling through TikTok?
- While potential harmful effects of using TikTok exist, what should be done to curb its impact on mental health?
2 replies on “The Science Behind TikTok Brain”
1. What is “dopamine hit“? “They are getting these dopamine hits that feel good, just the way it does when people sometimes use drugs or they use alcohol, or they become addicted to other things.” Explain what it does to our body.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is involved in helping us feel pleasure as part of the brain’s reward system.
2. What does the phrase “spike up” mean, “We see that it gets spiked up.“? Use it in a sentence. Ex. Running up the stairs spike up my heart rate.
It means that it gets an unexpected increase, for example:
Going to work spike up my determination to finish studies.
3. What does the idiom “take [ the bull ] by the horns” mean, “As an adult, I can take that by the horns and just make a change.“? Make one sentence using this expression. Ex. I took the bull by the horns and confronted him about his mistreatment of the workers.
It means that you can handle it, and you have the ability to make a change and solve the problem, in this case, stop using TikTok.
Recently, we have too much tasks to do in work, but I can take that by the horns and finish every single task.
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