We all know people who “overshare” on social media. Do I really need to know what you had for lunch?
A new study from the University of Pennsylvania examined the psychology behind what compels someone to share something on social media. The bottom line: people share information they feel is meaningful to themselves or people they care about. Evidence shows sharing information activates reward centers in our brains. By communicating what we think others want to hear or know, it helps people feel more socially relevant — an important quality in the human psyche.
The researchers tested what contributes to “value-based virality.” This is when information online goes viral because people find it inherently valuable to either themselves or society. The researchers say the study can be useful to communicators who need to deliver effective messaging for social causes, such as around COVID-19 or climate change.
Based on their findings, a suggestion researchers have for communicators is to frame messages to be perceived as more self or socially relevant to audiences without tailoring the messages themselves. In other words, develop general message frames that can be paired with existing news and social media posts. Let the message explain why this is important for our wellbeing, and the new information will just reinforce that.
“This study highlights key psychological ingredients that motivate people to share information about topics that impact our wellbeing,” says Emily Falk, the study’s senior author. “Sharing is one key lever for shifting cultural norms and motivating larger scale action, so it’s really important to understand what makes it happen.”