Plain English with Derek Thompson

A Psychologist Explains Four Reasons the Internet Feels So Broken

Apr 9, 2024

Jay Van Bavel, a psychology and neural science professor at NYU, unpacks the mechanics behind our online interactions. He reveals the 'dark laws' that fuel negativity and extremism in digital spaces, shedding light on why we often see the worst in ourselves online. Exploring the allure of rivalry, he explains how schadenfreude shapes fans’ emotional responses. Van Bavel emphasizes the role of group dynamics and the media's bias, illustrating how these elements impact our perceptions and relationships in today's polarized environment.

53:31

Episode guests

Jay Van Bavell

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Negativity, extremism, outgroup animosity, and moral emotion drive engagement online.

Online discussions feature more extreme opinions due to active users and algorithm prioritization.

Messages with moral emotional language are more likely to be shared, affecting group dynamics and polarization.

Deep dives

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Truth Often Requires a Suboptimal Approach

01:23

Perceptions Shape Polarization

01:22

Negativity Captivates: The Drivers of Online Engagement

01:26

Exploring Schadenfreude in Sports and the Impact of Moral Emotional Language

02:34

Intro

5min

Understanding Group Dynamics and Online Engagement

5min

The Allure of Negativity: Bias and Engagement in Media

21min

The Pleasure of Rivalry: Understanding Schadenfreude

2min

The Power of Emotional Language in Sports Fandom

7min

The Complexity of Online Engagement

11min

Jay Van Bavel is a professor of psychology and neural science at New York University. His lab has published papers on how the internet became a fun-house mirror of extreme political opinions, why the news media has a strong negativity bias, why certain emotions go viral online, why tribalism is inflamed by online activity, and how the internet can make us seem like the worst versions of ourselves. At the same time, Van Bavel emphasizes that many of the group psychology dynamics that can make social media seem like a dumpster fire are also core to what makes humankind such a special and ingenious species. We discuss the four dark laws of online engagement and the basics of group psychology.

If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at PlainEnglish@Spotify.com.

Host: Derek Thompson

Guest: Jay Van Bavel

Producer: Devon Baroldi

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Plain English with Derek Thompson

A Psychologist Explains Four Reasons the Internet Feels So Broken

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Pop Girl Spring

Exploring Social Media Scroll Length

Rules of Online Engagement

Emergence of Extreme Views Online

Impact of Moral Emotional Language

Truth Often Requires a Suboptimal Approach

Perceptions Shape Polarization

Negativity Captivates: The Drivers of Online Engagement

Exploring Schadenfreude in Sports and the Impact of Moral Emotional Language

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts