The Dark Psychology of Social Media: How to Take Control
Neil Jones
International Executive Mindset Coach | Pro-Active Mental Health Consultant | Speaker | Author
I have, for some time now, been hinting that I'm working on a programme to aid people to digitally detox their lives. In doing this I have been researching what is really going on and how best to change it. This article is an overview of some of the things I found out and gives a few suggestions as to how you can better master any digital habit you have.
I wonder, have you ever noticed that when you open Instagram or TikTok, the notifications are red, even though that colour isn’t used much elsewhere within these app? This is not by chance, on the contrary it is carefully applied psychology. Psychological research has shown that people respond faster to red than any other colour. It triggers an instinctive association with danger, demanding immediate action. This psychological trick isn’t just about catching your attention - it’s about keeping it for as long as possible.
?Let us take the scenario where you've returned from a holiday where you have had limited phone usage as an example, you will find that suddenly you're inundated with notifications - many about things you’ve never even thought to engage with before. These are called "recapture notifications", which are intended to a FOMO reaction. To give you the sense that you’ve missed out on something and need to dive back in. If you’re still hanging onto Facebook but hardly use it then 99% of your interaction with the app are likely to come from these notifications. This tactic mirrors what online shopping sites do when they bombard you with messages after you abandon a shopping basket, “nudging” you to return.
So, why do social media companies engage in this relentless pursuit of your attention? It boils down money, to be more specific to the attention economy which funds them. The more attention they garner, the more ads they can display, and the more revenue they generate. If you have been researching this, you've probably seen numerous videos explaining social media addiction in terms of dopamine - the brain’s "fun" chemical - as the main culprit. However, the story is more complex than just dopamine.
?Dopamine is often referred to as the "reward chemical" and plays a far more complex role in human behaviour than most commentators would have you believe. Many assert it’s released when something good happens, giving you a sense of fun or pleasure. But research by Dr Robert Sapolsky, a neuroscientist at Stanford has shown that dopamine is more involved in anticipation than in actual reward. In his experiment, monkeys learned that pulling a lever when a light flashed would result in a treat. Interestingly, their dopamine levels spiked more when the light came on than when they received the reward. This demonstrates that dopamine is linked as much if not more to the expectation of a reward rather than the reward itself.
?Sapolsky then went on to introduce an element of randomness, where monkeys only received a treat 50% of the time. He found that their dopamine levels skyrocketed, despite the reward being less frequent. This phenomenon is called "variable intermittent reward" and is a key principle in social media design. It explains why users keep refreshing their feeds or checking notifications. It is that they're chasing the anticipation of something exciting happening, even though it rarely does.
?The discovery of this reward system is the foundation of the psychology of slot machines. Many people don’t realise that casinos generate most of their revenue from slot machines, despite the small stakes involved, by leveraging this same principle. Just like pulling the lever on a slot machine, refreshing your social media feed taps into the same psychology. The unpredictable nature of what you will next see keeps you scrolling, much like gamblers keep playing, imagining the next big win is just around the corner.
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?Even more concerning, modern slot machines have been evolved to manipulate the player’s attention even further. They use algorithms that can subtly tweak the odds in real time, keeping players hooked by providing near-misses or smooth the highs and lows. Social media algorithms work in a very similar fashion. Platforms use highly sophisticated algorithms to present content that maximises your time on the app. Elon Musk’s takeover of X (formerly Twitter) has highlighted this even further, with researchers suggesting the platform now actively promotes content that stirs negative emotions - anger and disgust - because these emotions are more likely to keep users engaged.
?One of the most telling indicators that these designs are intentional is the regret now expressed by the creators themselves. Aza Raskin, who invented the infinite scroll in 2006 to improve search engine results, has publicly apologised multiple times for what it has become. He now advocates for humane technology, alongside others like Tristan Harris, a former Google ethicist, who left the company when he realised he couldn’t change their tactics from within.
?Even Sean Parker, Facebook’s first president, admitted that Facebook’s business model is designed to exploit those vulnerabilities in human psychology, creating a "social validation feedback loop". As he put it, "We understood this and we did it anyway."
?How to Take Back Control
?Given all this, it’s clear that social media companies won’t change their tactics voluntarily. So how can you regain control? Here are a few steps you can take:
?Undoubtedly, social media has its benefits, but it’s essential to recognise that the first purpose of all forms of social media is to make their owners rich. This means they will always employ the tactics designed to manipulate your behaviour to their advantage. However, by making small changes, you can enjoy the positive aspects of these platforms without falling into the trap of mindless scrolling which can be driven by the hyper-intelligent algorithms they employ.
Starfish Group - Forever making a difference through mind, body and soul
1 个月Brilliant article Neil - thank you for sharing it.
Mindfulness ? Wellbeing ? Resilience
1 个月Great article, Neil, and a sound reminder of the role that awareness plays in sustaining resilience and wellbeing.
Transforming teams and leadership with eco-systemic coaching | Empowering growth, winning results | 2024 Influential Women in Business Award Winner"
1 个月thanks for this really interesting information Neil. It is giving me pause for thought and some actions to take.