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What happens to the brain when we watch the news feed, scroll and click the mouse? How does this affect connections between neurons? What is remembered? As it turned out, the psychology of “likes” can be reduced to five points.
Click-click-click. Like it, like it, like it… The brain works on autopilot. Eyes glaze over. You spin and spin an endless feed, liking pictures, updates, statuses, and links to anything. Social media, at its worst, hypnotizes us to the point of nausea. What remains of what we read and why do we like it even when we are not happy with what we have written?
“Like” is a form of recognition
Log in to Facebook. Click the “like” button. What happened? The act of recognition. There has been social interaction between at least two people. You can call “like” an example of virtual empathy. We all understand what it means to empathize with someone. It is the ability to understand and share the emotions or situation of another person. By clicking the “like” button, we establish a connection. We recognize the existence of the interlocutor. We don’t necessarily like what we see. But we seem to be saying, “I see. I understand. I’m with you”.
Read more:
- Facebook and others: the pleasure formula
What is social capital? The Encyclopedic Dictionary explains that it is a network of social ties between people, their common values and norms of behavior that contribute to mutually beneficial social cooperation. In the networked world, social connections are formed on the Internet. It follows logically that transactions with social capital are carried out online. Mutually beneficial social cooperation occurs when we click “like”. When we realize that social interaction takes place on the Web, and “like” is one of its main tools, everything takes on a new meaning.
“Like” is a way to express yourself
Obviously, a “like” somehow affects its recipient, but it’s not that simple. By pressing the “like” button, we show ourselves as a person. This is not just a positive reaction to a post or status, it has turned into a form of feedback. If you “like” a status that you agree with, you express your agreement publicly. This is a kind of message to yourself – “I am here and I am like that.”
You are what you like. In fact, this is exactly what Facebook makes money on. Based on your likes, the social network generates ads that appear on your page and organizes the order of posts in the feed.
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- “Friend” on Facebook: add or reject?
The Time weekly recently described the algorithm of Facebook’s activity. The introduction of the “like” button in 2009 made it possible to “sharpen” the tape for what the user enjoys. An important parameter is your proximity with certain people, and it is determined by the number of “likes” that you put on their posts.
The observation of journalists was confirmed by scientific research. The US National Academy of Sciences recently published the results of a study involving nearly 60 Facebook users. Its authors concluded that the use of “likes” in their algorithm makes it possible to determine the user’s skin color with 95% accuracy, sexual orientation with 88% accuracy, Republican or Democratic party affiliation with 85% accuracy, gender with 93% accuracy, and age with 75% accuracy.
“Like” is an attempt to get psychological feedback
When we “like” someone’s status or photo, we mean that we will receive a response “like” from them. Few of us are willing to admit it, but the more “likes” we get, the stronger our confidence that we are loved. We like being liked, and the number of “likes” is just as important to us as the quality. So we click “like”, counting on reciprocity.
And if we do not get the desired number of “likes”? Status for us is an extension of our “I”, and if it is ignored, we perceive it as a neglect of us personally. We don’t actually go to Facebook to find out how others are doing, do we? We want to get something important for ourselves. We like it for the same reasons we go to parties or bars or meet friends. It’s about psychological feedback. We want to be appreciated, recognized and loved for who we are.
Read more:
- How does Facebook affect people with depression?
“Like” is often a substitute for deeper interaction
Likes have not only positive, but also negative sides. For example, they blur deeper levels of interaction. “Like” is just a mouse click. Relationships and conversations are work. With the number of friends we make on Facebook, it’s impossible to find the time to build real relationships. “Like” is a form of social connection without risks and obligations.
And now what do we do?
Don’t get depressed, don’t leave Facebook forever. Just realize what a social network is and get the most out of it that it can give.
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