This is part-two of a two-part series with Dr. Steven Rathje discussing research that found that social media creates incentives for out-group animosity, which can be a factor in increasing polarization. It is also harmful for mental health and society.

In this episode, we also talk about the increasing problem of transparency of social media platforms and how independent researchers are being shut out. This makes it impossible for researchers to examine the impacts of these platforms on society.

Dr. Steven Rathje is a postdoctoral researcher at New York University in the Social Identity and Morality Lab. He received his PhD from the University of Cambridge (Trinity College), where he was a Gates Cambridge Scholar and a member of the Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab. Previously, he studied Psychology and Symbolic Systems at Stanford University.

Links and References

Part one: Outrage 008 – A lot of angry reactions – Steven Rathje

Outgroup Animosity Drives Engagement on Social Media: https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2024292118

Preprint: People think that social media platforms do (but should not) amplify divisive content:
https://psyarxiv.com/gmun4/