Under the influence of social media?

We must investigate exactly which content and conversations on social media influence young people.

Image + reaction = insight

Hendriks uncovered a significant insight during a study in which she presented a serious alcohol-awareness campaign to a group of young people. The campaign conveyed a straightforward message: consuming alcohol can harm your health. However, after watching the video, the young audience burst into laughter. They started cracking jokes, and one even reminisced about a fun party from the previous night. Within minutes, the video had the opposite effect, sparking a lighthearted conversation about alcohol among the group. This dynamic interplay between the visual content and their reactions is crucial for understanding how social media influences young people.

How does online behaviour shape... behaviour?

What do young people encounter on social media? They come across countless images of alcohol, vape-related content, and influencers engaged in extreme sports or flaunting very thin body types. These visuals flood their feeds daily, shaping their perceptions of themselves, their health, and their behaviour, often without them even realising it. But how does this influence take hold, and when does it happen? “As researchers, we have limited insight into which posts truly resonate with young people, which ones they breeze past, or which ones spark likes and discussions,” says Hendriks. Additionally, the personalised algorithms ensure that each young user sees a different array of content. “Currently, our research methods mainly allow us to talk to young people after they've experienced these posts,” Hendriks explains. By then, their memories of what they saw or how it made them feel have faded. “We also can't just monitor the messages they exchange on platforms like Instagram due to crucial privacy concerns.” As a result, researchers are seeking a new approach.

A new research tool

To bridge this gap, Hendriks has developed an innovative tool that enables researchers to examine young people's social media activity. This tool mimics the functionality of popular apps like Instagram and Facebook, enabling researchers to observe user behaviour in real time. Additionally, they can create their own content to test various ideas, showcase invented posts, and assess their impact under controlled conditions. The users can scroll, react, post, and read just as they would on their usual social media platforms. Importantly, they use this tool alongside their existing social media apps, rather than replacing them.

“With this tool, we hope to do what we currently cannot do: see which content a young person encounters and how that person responds to it, while we run experiments at the same time,” Hendriks says. This approach should help researchers better understand the effects and mechanisms of social media.

‘Reduce screen time’ does not go far enough

Social media has a profound impact on young people, and this influence can manifest in both positive and negative ways. “That’s why it’s crucial to delve into the specific content and conversations that shape their experiences,” Hendriks explains. Without this understanding, our efforts to address the issue remain too broad and ineffective. For instance, simply recommending a decrease in screen time doesn’t really make a difference.