Life on Screen
As usual, Robert chose to sit in a corner like he was trying to find the non-existent end of the planet earth. Lee had just arrived, and did what he usually did, which was to greet every single moving microorganism in the class to which everyone replied accordingly. However, when he greeted Robert, he gave a quick 2 second stare through his round glasses before he shifted his focus towards his phone, surfing through r/politics. Michael reached for his pocket, pulling out his phone to see the subreddit real quick, and just a few scrolls away, he saw Robert’s elaborated comment on antisemitism. The way he conveyed the message was full of anger and it was visible that he was trying to be seen as the most knowledgeable person in the room- which is totally unlike him, at least in real life. Online comments “are extraordinarily aggressive, without resolving anything,” said Art Markman. Pretty much sums up Twitter and Reddit threads, a bunch of know-it-alls arguing over matters that they know little to none. In the midst of an internet argument, some kids that cannot even solve basic polynomial questions can suddenly become René Descartes. Online persona, yes, that is the term. But why does this happen? What causes them to change their personality drastically after they open up certain applications?
At Yale’s Crockett Lab, researchers delve into the transformation of social emotions, particularly moral outrage in online contexts. Brain-imaging studies reveal that acting on moral outrage in real-world scenarios activates the brain’s reward centre, reinforcing the behaviour and increasing the likelihood of future interventions. While confronting norm violators entails risks in the offline world, the online realm provides a platform where outrage expression carries minimal personal risk but significantly boosts reputations. Recent research demonstrates that messages with moral and emotional words spread more on social media, each such word in a tweet elevating its likelihood of being retweeted by 20%. Lab director Molly Crockett points out that this online environment fosters a cycle of selecting and promoting outrageous content, compounded by positive feedback and forming habits of outrage expression regardless of consequences.
Social media has diverse effects on the brain, impacting various brain functions due to the wide array of stimuli it presents. Positive attention on social media triggers activation in brain regions associated with reward, such as the striatum and ventral tegmental area, which are involved in the experience of receiving likes. The ventral tegmental area plays a crucial role in the brain’s reward system, as it releases dopamine in response to positive feedback. MRI studies on adolescents browsing Instagram showed increased neural activity in regions related to reward processing, social cognition, imitation, and attention when viewing photos with more likes. It is essential for social media users to recognise the potential power and abuse of these platforms, as they can influence the brain’s reward system similarly to gambling and narcotic drugs. Apart from reward systems, social media also impacts decision-making and emotional processing functions. Research on adolescents revealed distinct brain responses in emotional and sensory processing regions when they experienced online social exclusion. While these studies contribute to our understanding of social media’s effects on the brain, there is still much progress to be made, considering the rapid growth of social media and its impact on human behaviour and cognition.
Social media puts the self-image of its users under scrutiny, as constant comparisons with others occur during their interactions. Researchers Matthew Pittman and Brandon Reich have discovered that engaging in image-oriented platforms like Instagram and Pinterest can enhance users’ self-identities, potentially reducing loneliness and increasing happiness and life satisfaction. In contrast, text-based media seems to have limited effects. Consequently, some users gain confidence and develop stronger self-perceptions in image-focused social media environments. However, social media can also motivate individuals with negative self-perceptions to construct entirely new identities, often with the intention of deceiving others. This phenomenon, known as catfishing, commonly occurs in online dating services, where users feel pressured to alter information such as height, weight, and age to maximise their perceived attractiveness. The pressure to fabricate or lie about one’s physical and psychological attributes extends beyond dating, permeating various aspects of social media interactions. Vulnerable users, particularly those with low self-esteem, may create false personas on platforms like Facebook, presenting conflicting identities to compensate for their insecurities.
Social media’s focus on groups gives users a strong incentive: the acceptance and validation they get from different communities- but it’s a mixed bag with pros and cons. The cool thing is connecting with like-minded people all over the world lets you explore niche interests, popular trends, and shared passions. This is especially awesome for folks in smaller or far-off communities because it makes them feel included and brings some serious psychological benefits. Being part of a group, even if it’s based on something random like having the same birthday, can really light a fire under you, as Art Markman from Psychology Today pointed out. Social media platforms make it a breeze to form all sorts of interest groups, from broad ones to super-specific ones, which amps up overall productivity. But here’s the flip side: getting too caught up in one social media group can mess with your head. Research in the Media Psychology journal showed that if you exclusively hang out with one group, you start copying their behaviours and create this bubble of identity. And the more time you spend in that bubble, the more it reinforces itself, potentially cutting you off from diverse perspectives and affecting how you think and act. So, it’s crucial to find a balance, where you keep an open mind and think critically while enjoying the positive vibes of group interactions. It’s all about finding that sweet spot where you stay true to yourself and embrace a world of endless possibilities.
In conclusion, social media’s impact on individuals is complex and multifaceted. It affects various aspects of human behaviour and cognition, shaping self-image, emotional responses, and group dynamics. From a neurological perspective, social media activates reward centres in the brain, reinforcing certain behaviours and triggering emotional responses. The online environment, with its ease of expression and potential for reputation enhancement, can lead to the amplification of moral outrage and the spread of provocative content. Users’ self-perceptions can be influenced positively or negatively, with image-oriented platforms offering opportunities for self-expression and identity development, while also tempting individuals to construct deceptive personas. Social media’s group-focused nature fosters connections and the sharing of interests, but it can also lead to the adoption of group behaviours and the formation of identity bubbles. It is important for users to be aware of the potential psychological and social consequences of their online interactions and to navigate these platforms with a critical and reflective mindset. Further research is needed to deepen our understanding of the intricate relationship between social media and human behaviour, as well as to develop strategies for promoting positive and healthy engagement in these digital spaces.
[Written by: Danial. Edited by: Nastassja]
