CRyder Design

It is not uncommon for social media platforms to become filled with polarizing posts and negativity. There is a science to explain why it becomes this way so often. Psychology and the design of algorithms and social media platforms can help to provide some background.

It is no surprise that controversy plays a large role in what exists on social media. Some people may seem to have an entirely different personality on social media than they do in person. But why? Authors Johnathan Haidt and Tobias Rose-Stockwell present the idea of “moral grandstanding” as an explanation. The article, “The Dark Psychology of Social Networks” states, “The philosophers Justin Tosi and Brandon Warmke proposed the useful phrase moral grandstanding to describe what happens when people use moral talk to enhance their prestige in a public forum… Grandstanders tend to ‘trump up moral changes, pile on in cases of public shaming, announce that anyone who disagrees with them is obviously wrong, or exaggerate emotional displays.” It may seem easier to post controversial content on social media to some because there are no face-to-face interactions or serious moral implications. Because of moral grandstanding, individuals may feel that posting their opinion will make them more popular, and improve their status among friends. “If you constantly express anger in your private conversations, your friends will likely find you tiresome, but when there’s an audience, the payoffs are different — outrage can boost your status” (“The Dark Psychology of Social Networks”). As human beings, we are naturally drawn to have an interest in drama, we have to know who said what, when they said it, and who they said it to. Social media can take this instinct and put it out there for everyone to see. Posts with outrageous headlines will likely get more engagement than posts with a simple headline. Moral grandstanders take this concept and apply it to their own opinions through social media. Additionally, news headlines have evolved to keep up with this trend. Eye-catching headlines have become the new norm with the use of buzz words. “The News Feed’s algorithmic ordering of content flattened the hierarchy of credibility. Any post by any producer could stick to the top of our feeds as long as it generated engagement. ‘Fake news’ would later flourish in this environment” (“The Dark Psychology of Social Networks”). The audience will see the outlandish headline and think to themselves “I have to share this with all of my friends so they can become aware of it too” and the process repeats itself. Fake news spreads so rapidly throughout social media, it is difficult for the real information to catch up.

Social media platforms have changed our thought processes so that there is a constant desire for something new. Old news is old news for a reason, people don’t care about it. The simple idea of reverse chronological design that is used in social media, has changed the way that we view information. The newest information comes first, and everything that came before it comes after. Author Clive Thompson states, “But reverse chron? That’s well and truly a mental trap. Social-media firms know this: They’re experts at hijacking our attention, sucking us into the day-to-day drama of whatever’s blowing up online right now. They use reverse chron because it’s so addictive” (“Social Media is Keeping Us Stuck in the Moment”). However, reverse chronological design on social media is not only an addiction that individuals themselves have to overcome but society as a whole as well. The way that reverse chron is designed is constantly distracting us from one thought. You open social media, see one post at the top that you read and think about for a second, you refresh, and everything is changed, you see a different post at the top that you read and think about for a second, and so on. Maintaining focus on one topic is challenging due to our desire to find out what is fresh and new, what is everyone raging about today. “On one level it’s a personal battle, seizing back control of our own attention: We have to learn to enjoy what’s powerful and delightful about online tools, but to resist their casino-like seductions into the here and now. Some of society’s biggest problems, such as global warming, require careful long-term planning; we can’t tackle them if we’re being dragged in 20 directions every hour by shiny objects and oven-fresh hot takes” (“Social Media is Keeping Us Stick in the Moment”). The constant distraction of social media and reverse chronological design seems to be doing more harm than good. Looking at events from the past and studying history is beneficial to ensure that it does not repeat itself, and so we can learn from our mistakes and become stronger in the future. Reverse chron does not allow us to do that.

Confirmation bias is a concept in psychology that is used to explain why individuals typically agree with and share information that aligns with their existing beliefs and values, while also dismissing opposing information. The concept has become perceptible through social media. Polarizing political discussions display a prime example of confirmation bias. “We know that our minds do this all the time: they adjust our understanding of new information so that it fits in with what we already know. One consequence of this so-called confirmation bias is that people often seek out, recall, and understand information that best confirms what they already believe… our confirmation bias leads us to follow others who are like us, a dynamic that is sometimes referred to as homophily… Social media amplifies homophily by allowing users to alter their social network structures through following, unfriending, and so on.” (“Information Overload Helps Fake News Spread and Social Media Knows It”). Confirmation bias on social media can cause somewhat of a mob mentality. Online groups tend to strengthen existing beliefs and make them more emotionally charged. Fake news thrives in this environment. When one individual reads a fake news article and believes it, suddenly a large group of people also see and believe it. This group will begin to dismiss others who oppose their ideas and opinions that may not be true and disagree with their beliefs. “We confuse popularity with quality and end up copying the behavior we observe… when we are repeatedly exposed to an idea, typically from many sources, we are more likely to adopt and reshare it” (“Information Overload Helps Fake News Spread and Social Media Knows It”). This process is continuously repeating itself every single day. Social media is becoming more and more polarized and hostile as this process continues, confirmation bias continues to be strengthened, and fake news will continue to strengthen the exposure effect on users.

We should continue to educate ourselves on the situation that is occurring on social media and do our best to reverse its effects. Becoming aware of the issue is only half the battle, solving it will take a lot of time and effort from everyone involved. It is important to take control of the situation before it is too late.