I wrote a book about digital addiction. Get your copy from Barnes and Noble or Kobo
In another post I wrote about the psychological feedback loop between peer comparison and external validation on Facebook/Instagram/Snapchat. In this feedback loop, peer comparison on the news feed produces social anxiety, and uploading content to receive external validation reduces it. But in continually checking social media for validation, we are exposed to the news feed homepage, and we generate new social anxiety.
We use Facebook more and generally feel worse. Both peer comparison and external self esteem both are known to be associated with depression, even when not on Facebook. But we keep going back to social networks to get the short term kick from seeing new information about people in our community — but all the while the social anxiety from subconscious peer comparison grows. Then we want to upload content for validation, using social networks more. This is the path of least resistance; the psychological user flow.
There is another feedback loop. When we consume content on the newsfeed, the social anxiety from subconscious peer comparison increases our vulnerability to ads: to clicking ads, and then buying products and services marketed through those ads, to reduce social anxiety. Those products and services are often marketed as solutions that reduce social anxiety — particularly clothes. This, I imagine, is why many see clothes advertised on Facebook. Like uploading content and receiving external validation, purchasing and wearing cool new clothes, among else, also allows us to reduce social anxiety produced from peer comparison on Facebook.
Because of how effective their ads are, Facebook can price each ad higher and make more money per ad than other competing advertising inventories. Facebook can price in their effectiveness, because Facebook is not only able to track clicks on ads, but also purchases after clicks on ads. And even if you don’t purchase right after clicking an ad — if you make a purchase of that company’s product a few weeks later, Facebook can still attribute that purchase to the advertisement. And they deserve to, in some sense, because the ad likely subconsciously impacted you, particularly in your state of vulnerability, and helped inform your future decision in purchasing a product.
We use Facebook, experience social anxiety, and then engagewith advertisements and buy things being marketed to reduce that social anxiety. Facebook makes money, and we acclimate to engaging in consumption to satisfy our psychological needs.
Because of the user experience, Facebook ads will always be more effective. The inventory will be more valuable.
I wrote a book on digital addiction. Get your copy from Barnes and Noble or Kobo
The Mentalist - Hacker Noon_Read writing from The Mentalist in Hacker Noon. I am involved with, and think a lot about, new digital technology. My…_hackernoon.com