social WiFi Science
In the digital age, invisible factors, like algorithms that dictate our visibility and access to information have begun to dominate what we see, think, and even feel. Have you ever wondered how social media apps like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube seem to know you so well? While we lightly use them for entertainment purposes, these platforms are constantly studying our behavior through algorithms. These platforms are not simply our entertainment but are complex social mediums built on psychological and neurological principles designed to capture our attention.
These algorithms analyze people’s behavior and use patterns rooted in neuroscience, such as dopamine reward systems, to hold people’s attention. As a result, they can quietly shape public opinion, amplify emotions, and even influence decision making on a large scale. This essay explores how social media algorithms use scientific insights from neuroscience and psychology to influence people’s behavior, and considers the broader ethical and social concerns of this growing phenomenon.
At the key of every social media platform is an algorithm. A set of rules and calculations that decides what content users see. These algorithms are designed to keep people engaged by showing them posts, videos, and ads that are most likely to grab their attention. To do this, the algorithm collects and analyzes data such as what users like, comment on, watch, or scroll past. Based on this behavior, it builds a personalized profile for each user and makes the content accordingly.
As a user interacts with the platform more, the algorithms become more accurate. This creates the algorithm that shows more of what the user responds to, and the user spends more time on the app. This may seem helpful; however, such method of personalization raises concerns about how much control users truly have over what they see and think.
Social media algorithms do not rely on technology alone. They are also related to principles from neuroscience and psychology, such as the brain’s dopamine reward system. “Scientists have found that every time you get a notification, a “like”, or even watch a video you enjoy, your brain’s reward system (the nucleus accumbens) gets activated.
This is the same system that makes people feel pleasure when they win money or eat their favourite snack.” (Pigott, Laura. ‘Dopamine and social media: Why you can’t stop scrolling, according to neuroscience.’ paragraph 3). In other words, when users receive likes, comments, or notifications, their brains release dopamine, creating a sense of reward that encourages users to want more. Platforms take advantage of this response by designing features that trigger dopamine spikes.
Beyond dopamine, algorithms also exploit emotional triggers. Posts that evoke strong emotions, like humor, outrage, or sadness, often prompt more engagement. Smitha Milli’s research found that “the algorithm tends to select more emotionally charged, partisan, out-group hostile content than both the reverse-chronological timeline and the stated preference timeline” (Milli, paragraph 33). The study demonstrates that social media is based on the psychological insight that emotional content grabs attention and increases time spent on the platform. As a result, users are not simply seeing viral content but content their brains are most likely to respond to.
The influence of social media algorithms extend far beyond individual behavior. One major concern is political polarization. By showing users content that matches their existing beliefs, people are often exposed to only one side of an issue, creating ideological echo chambers. Over time, this can lead to reduced exposure to opposing views or even hostility. For example, the Cambridge Analytica scandal involved gathering data from millions of Facebook users and used it politically sway voters during the 2016 U.S. election. “We built 253 algorithms, which meant there were 253 predictions per profiled record.”
The goal was achieved: a model that could effectively take the Facebook likes of its subjects and work backwards, arrive at guesses as to their personalities, political affiliations and more.” (Hern, Alex. ‘Cambridge Analytica: how did it turn clicks into votes?’ paragraph 18). This case showed how powerful algorithms can impact public opinion and influence democratic processes. In addition, constant exposure to sensational or upsetting content may lower users’ empathy, making them less to others’ feelings or struggles. These effects invoke relevant concerns about how algorithms are shaping not just our personal choices, but the way we relate to each other as a society.
In the final analysis, social media algorithms are not neutral tools. By integrating advanced technology with insights from neuroscience and psychology, they are designed to shape how people think, feel, and act and often without their full awareness. While these systems can enhance user experience and keep people connected, they also raise serious concerns about personal autonomy, emotional well-being, and the health of democratic societies.
By: Beatrice Cheha Lee
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