A new study has revealed boasting about yourself on social networks stimulates the same pleasures to the brain as sex.

Harvard neuroscientists found those who self-disclose information online feel similar pleasures associated with sex, chocolate, money or food.

According to the report’s authors Diana Tamir and Jason Mitchell, we devote 30-40% of our conversation in life to telling others about our experiences, but on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter this is closer to 80%.

The study, which included five experiments on almost 300 people, also revealed that participants were more likely to turn down cash rewards than give up the opportunity to talk about themselves.

Tamir and Mitchell wrote: “Just as monkeys are willing to forgo juice rewards to view dominant groupmates and college students are willing to give up money to view attractive members of the opposite sex, our participants were willing to forgo money to think and talk about themselves.”

To rea the full report, click here.