One, two, three… post! Do you always wait eagerly for the sweet sound of your cell phone announcing a new like?
The truth behind your next 'like': What a USC study reveals about our online habits.
Imagine taking a quick look at your phone, opening your favorite app and automatically sharing something without really thinking about it. What if that simple click is actually the result of a deep-rooted, changing behavior pattern?
USC Dornsife 's latest findings show that the mechanics of our social media habits are far more complicated and troubling than we might think.
A creeping habit
It starts innocently enough. An occasional glance, an occasional sharing. But the more we engage on social media platforms, the more our behavior changes. The constant search for rewards in the form of “likes,” “shares,” and “comments” causes our sub-behavior to go from conscious to automatic. And as these activities become routine, we become unresponsive to the rewards we once sought so much.
A profound influence on our psyche
Frequent engagement not only impacts our behavior but also our mental health. Constant notifications, endless scrolling, and chasing rewards can lead to stress, anxiety, and even depression. Some experts even go so far as to say that these routines are detrimental to our overall well-being. This is particularly true for younger users.
Habits versus rewards: An unequal battle
All is not lost. The USC study shows that infrequent social media users can be motivated by social rewards. This means that measures such as education and awareness raising can still be effective among this user group. For those who are already proficient, more drastic measures are required.
The path to the solution: structural changes
Simply telling habitual users not to share certain content may not be the right approach. Instead of changing the people, we could change the platforms. Through structural changes, social media platforms could make it more difficult to share content without thinking about it while at the same time improving the quality of the information shared. There are already examples of such changes, and the results are promising.
Conclusion
Becoming aware of our social media habits is the first step in protecting ourselves from its negative effects. Through education, awareness and structural changes, we can create an online world where sharing is both reflective and valuable.
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Source:
USC Dornsife
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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )