I Like You Because You’re Like Me!
Homophily is the concept that individuals who share similarities are more likely to make contact than those who have nothing in common (Aragón, Gómez, García & Kaltenbrunner, 2017). Basically, homophily is illustrated by the proverb “birds of a feather flock together”. We like to hang out with people like us!
Social media is highly influenced by homophily. Individuals seek and follow each other on Facebook based on personality traits, openness and extraversion (Aragón, Gómez, García & Kaltenbrunner, 2017). On MSN, similar traits individuals seek are age, location and interests (Aragón, Gómez, García & Kaltenbrunner, 2017). Connecting with like people contributes to social validation!
Homophily in social media can actually lead to increased use. According to Damian and VanIngen (2014), social network sites can help immigrants connect with individuals from their same country of origin. This helps them establish in-group as well as out-group ties.
Many social media platforms use algorithms to promote homophily. According to Agrawal (2016), Facebook uses constantly changing algorithms to make sure users see what they want to see. Agrawal (2016), reported that Instagram also uses algorithms to keep up with user groups and show the groups what they are interested in. This means that when you are using these platforms there is a ton of information out there that you do not have to sift through! The algorithms show you only what you have expressed interest in before.
Homophily may be a big, somewhat intimidating word, but the concept and use make social media a smaller, more manageable place!
Agrawal, A. (2016). What Do Social Media Algorithms Mean For You? Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/ajagrawal/2016/04/20/what-do-social-media-algorithms-mean-for-you/#e5c7ba0a5152
Aragón, P., Gómez, V., García, D., & Kaltenbrunner, A. (2017). Generative models of online discussion threads: State of the art and research challenges. Journal of Internet Services and Applications, 8(1), 1–17. doi:http://dx.doi.org.library.capella.edu/10.1186/s13174-017-0066-z
Damian, E., & VanIngen, E. (2014). Social network site usage and personal relations of migrants. Societies, 4(4), 640–653. doi:http://dx.doi.org.library.capella.edu/10.3390/soc4040640