Social Media: Why You Can't Resist Posts That Annoy You

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Are human beings masochistic on social networks?? This is in any case what this research, recently published in the journal Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, seems to suggest. While one might think that we would rather comfort ourselves in our opinions by locking ourselves in echo chambers (a theme we discussed in this article), it turns out that the opposite is happening.

This phenomenon, dubbed the ” confrontation effect “, would partly explain the proliferation of toxic speech or other disrespectful behavior when we leave the real world to join the virtual world.

The boomerang effect of virtual anger

You thought you were the only one who couldn't help but react to this post that made you lose your temper ? Think again ! The study conducted by Daniel Mochon and his team (Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana) highlighted a surprising phenomenon: we are much more likely to interact with content that challenges our beliefs than with content that reinforces them.

This somewhat surprising trend has been observed on X, on Facebook, and in online experiments, including during the 2020 U.S. presidential election. The researchers found that users frequently respond to opposing viewpoints with greater engagement, often motivated by outrage at what they are seeing.

Social media: an arena of modern discord

To reach these conclusions, the researchers exposed more than 500,000 Americans to political posts on Facebook, including content for and against former President Donald Trump. The result: users were much more likely to comment or react to posts that contradicted their beliefs, especially when they felt their core values ​​were being challenged.

This particular dynamic creates a vicious circle where engagement (a user's personal involvement in a digital space) does not necessarily reflect the preferences of Internet users. While in areas like fashion or sports, engagement reflects a certain interest; in politics, it usually stems from anger and contradiction.

A striking example: many of the comments on Vice President Kamala Harris's X account seem to come from people on the completely opposite political spectrum, although they would probably prefer not to follow her account. Following an account or interacting with posts that oppose one's beliefs may seem counterintuitive at first. However, this behavior has grown considerably in recent years.

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This may result from a personal desire to confront or position oneself against a public figure, but also from an unconscious desire to validate one's own opinions by openly criticizing those of others. This phenomenon, sometimes called “hate-following,” can further reinforce cognitive biases by continually exposing users to opposing ideas, but from a critical or conflicting perspective.

The underside of a controversial business model

This study also exposes a disturbing reality: some social networks knowingly exploit this anger to boost engagement, and consequently, increase their revenues. “Platforms benefit from maintaining user activity, whether the interaction is positive or negative ,” Mochon points out. In reality, algorithms don't care about your opinions; they simply promote what generates the most reactions, whether it is support or indignation.

By promoting divisive content, do these platforms not contribute to exacerbating divisions within a society that is already highly fragmented?? By encouraging this cycle described above, they are indeed exacerbating tensions and reinforcing the perception of an ever-widening gap between different ideological communities. Social fragmentation would therefore be one of the many cogs in the immense financial engine of social networks; the hypothesis is more than plausible.

Given this observation, we could hope that this awareness will help us resist these online provocations. But let's not kid ourselves: knowing a trap is not enough to avoid it. The next post that makes you lose your temper may lead you to pounce on it yourself; and you will never be the only one. After all, why deprive yourself of this little daily dopamine shot ? Social networks have transformed our indignation into a cash machine. In the meantime, let's keep feeding the beast: angry clicks, scathing comments and vengeful shares are on the menu. Bon appetit, and may the best troll win !

• A new study reveals that we are more likely to engage with content that upsets us than content that reinforces our views.
• This phenomenon, known as the ” confrontation effect ,” fuels the proliferation of toxic discourse and exacerbates divisions on social media.
• Platforms exploit this behavior to maximize engagement, reinforcing social polarization and their revenue.

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