The TED AI Show
How to stop doom scrolling – and have a better experience online with Jay Van Bavel (from ReThinking)
Nov 26, 2024
Jay Van Bavel, a renowned psychology and neuroscience professor at NYU, sheds light on the reasons behind our doom scrolling habits. He discusses the psychological effects of negative news and the importance of uplifting narratives to combat negativity bias. Van Bavel also explores strategies to enhance social media experiences, emphasizing the need for ethical content sharing. Additionally, he highlights the significance of collective identity and the balance between authentic content creation and audience engagement, urging a shift towards positivity in our online interactions.
34:48
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Quick takeaways
- Human psychology drives engagement towards negative news, perpetuating a toxic online environment that favors sensationalism over positivity.
- Curating one's social media feed by following uplifting accounts can enhance emotional well-being and foster a more inclusive online experience.
Deep dives
The Impact of Negative News on Engagement
Negative news tends to attract more engagement because human psychology drives a natural focus on threats and dangers. The podcast discusses how emotional responses such as fear, anger, and disgust encourage clicks and shares, which ultimately increases a platform's ad revenue. This cycle perpetuates a negative news environment as content creators cater to the audience's inclination to engage with disturbing stories. The discussion highlights a troubling trend where emotional neutrality has declined, leading to burnout and disengagement from news consumption.
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