Can Human Behavior on Social Media Counter Prejudice?

We've seen how human nature can lead people to utilize social media to confirm their biases by seeking out content that affirms their beliefs through the psychological phenomenon of selective exposure. The "filter bubble" theory postulates that recommendation engines can lead to the affirmation of biases by only recommending media that aligns with the user's liking and failing to expose the user to diverse content. There are a million different ways that one can present their racial, gendered, and religious biases(and many more) on social media, and not only that, they can find a seemingly infinite number of other people who share those harmful beliefs on the same platform. Social media has turned into a stand-alone world for socializing, except as opposed to face-to-face communication, there is a lack of accountability. User's can flaunt their hatred openly and face no repercussions, making social media platforms a dangerous space for some. While I've examined how recommendation algorithms and human nature can lead to manifestations of biased thinking on social media, there is some evidence that the same phenomena that can cause these manifestations can also combat them. While people tend to focus on the negative impacts of social media, it's worth considering how these platforms could help us grow and educate ourselves.

The simplest way social media platforms can aid in combating biases has nothing to do with the platforms themselves but instead human psychology. Some research has found that self-affirmation can remedy ingroup biases (Ehrlich & Gramzow, 2015). The self-affirmation theory states that humans aim to possess integrity and generally be seen in a good light (Sherman & Cohen, 2006). This theory goes hand in hand with confirmation bias, in that when presented with information that opposes their views or might present them in a bad light, a person will seek out activities or information that affirms themselves or makes them feel good about themselves again (Sherman & Cohen, 2006). The self-affirmation theory can aid in eliminating bias in that after the self is affirmed, individuals are more likely to seek out information and perspectives that do not align with their own (Sherman & Cohen, 2002). This phenomenon then allows people to educate themselves and perhaps examine the viewpoints of others towards whom they feel biased.

In a study measuring how self-affirmation affects the difference in perceptions of racism towards stigmatized groups between groups, the primary hypothesis stating that self-affirmation reduces group differences in the perception of racism was supported (Adams et al., 2006). The study, performed twice, pulled white and Latiné students from a community college and split them into groups, one of which would receive the affirmation treatment, and the other would not. First, the students in the affirmation group were allowed to talk about a matter that was important to them. In contrast, the non-affirmation group spoke about a topic that wasn't particularly important to them. Then, both groups completed a survey on their perceptions of racism. The researchers found that there was a more negligible difference between the Latiné students and the white students in perceptions of racism among the affirmed groups. Specifically, the white students that received the affirmation treatment seemed more aware of the prevalence of racism perpetuated by white people onto marginalized groups.

In terms of social media, platforms like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and more provide environments with a nearly infinite flow of information. Social media is a place where people often go to be affirmed, primarily through seeking out information that is important to them in some way or that makes them feel good about themselves. However, these same platforms also provide a source of information that might oppose the user's standing beliefs, including biases. For example, say a user was particularly passionate about their home country having strict immigration laws and restricting the number of immigrants entering their country. This user might post their thoughts on immigration regulations on an app like Instagram, resulting in a feeling of affirmation. Then, perhaps this user would open themselves up to looking at posts from the opposing perspective, leading them to learn more about the topic and potentially see the same issue from someone else's shoes. The self-affirmation theory and how it can contribute to individuals educating themselves and reducing biased thinking can be applied to environments other than social media. However, social media is a massive part of many people's everyday lives, and it could be a place where individuals gain a broader worldview every time they scroll through their feeds. While human psychology in the context of social media can undoubtedly lead to an increase in the expression and consumption of biased or hateful content, it has the potential to do the opposite as well.

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Bibliography:

Adams, G., Tormala, T. T., & O'Brien, L. T. (2006). The effect of self-affirmation on perception of racism.

Journal of Experimental Social Psychology

, 42(5), 616–626. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2005.11.001

Ehrlich, G. A., & Gramzow, R. H. (2015). The politics of affirmation theory. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 41(8), 1110–1122. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167215590986

Sherman, D. K., & Cohen, G. L. (2006, May 7). The Psychology of Self‐defense: Self‐affirmation theory. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology. Retrieved April 25, 2022, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0065260106380045

Sherman, D. K., & Cohen, G. L. (2002). Accepting threatening information: Self–affirmation and the reduction of defensive biases. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11(4), 119–123. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8721.00182