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Frequent texting and rapid-fire use of social media could be leading us down a perilous digital path toward “moral shallowness,” suggests a new Canadian study.

Researchers at the University of Windsor asked undergraduate students to rank the importance of dozens of life goals. They found those who regularly texted or were constantly tethered to social media typically cared more about image (“I want to achieve the look I’ve always been after”) and hedonism (“I want to have an exciting lifestyle”) than about goals related to morality (“I want to live my life with genuine integrity”). They were also less likely to engage in self-reflection.

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Burgeoning social media use, the researchers warned, could also put a dent in students’ grades and make it harder for them to build social relationships.

“Whether it becomes an issue that needs to be dealt with or not is a matter of debate. But it’s an issue that demands our concern and poses a need for additional research,” said Logan Annisette, the study’s lead author.