Negativity Captivates: The Drivers of Online Engagement

Four key laws govern poor engagement on the internet and social media. First, negativity inherently drives engagement, as negative language increases user interaction rates. Second, extremists capture attention more effectively than moderates, leading to higher engagement levels related to extreme viewpoints. Third, out-group animosity—hostility towards those outside one's group—also fosters engagement, intensifying divisive conversations. Finally, the use of moral emotional language plays a significant role, as emotionally charged language resonates more and prompts further engagement. A study analyzed 105,000 headlines, revealing that negative terms yielded a higher click-through rate compared to positive wording, highlighting the detrimental effects of negativity bias in online content.

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