Group Number One
In the study, pensioners who learned to use the site, performed 25% better in tasks measuring their ability to utilize and monitor working memories. Those who became Facebook friends with those in their training group posted on the social media site at least once a day.
Group Number Two
Pensioners who refrained from utilizing Facebook kept an online diary with private entries but no social sharing.
Group Number Three
This group was kept on a waiting list for Facebook training.
The eight-week study involved a series of questionnaires and psychological tests measuring levels of loneliness, social support, and cognition. Facebook learners performed around 25 % better at mental abilities than at the study's start.
Participants in the other groups saw no significant change in performance.
Researchers from the University of Arizona, said the complex nature of Facebook's interface was the reason for the social networkers improved performance. Facebook's social nature gave it the edge over the other control groups.