Are You Impacted by the Flock?

Likeness

Previously we talked about capturing and maintaining the attention of the social media audience and why it is prevalent to getting your message across. This week, I would like to discuss how likeness (being like-minded) could prove to be a crucial factor in the use of social media. It is no secret in the processes of development that each individual learns what it means to be their OWN individual. We develop beliefs and establish processes that connect us physically and emotionally to the surrounding environment. These developments, I believe, are the foundation to who we interact with and why we interact with various people on social media.

Homophily and the Factors

Aside from development, affirmation of our beliefs, whether that belief is religious, political, or whatever it may be is essential to our continuing development. With affirmation being received from other people about what we believe to be true and right further grounds our beliefs and overall strengthens us as individuals. Whether an individual realizes this is the effect that take place through interacting with people that have the same likenesses and beliefs, or not, does not greatly impact the reaction of this type of social interaction. It is an interesting thing to watch; people gathering on social media with opinions and how quickly people will back those opinions and even defend them.

The Algorithm

I know we discussed maintaining the attention of the social media reader, but we have to discuss the “boring” parts: The algorithms that brought us the concept of homophily. According to Agrawal (2016), a former writer for Forbes magazine explained that all social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram are now using algorithms to show you the content that may be most prevalent to you. To do this they take what you like the most or what is most relevant from previous searches and put that content into your feed. These algorithms helped in the development of homophily because it took your likes and with the use of the social media’s algorithms found more similar content based on your likes. In turn you end up running across similarly likeminded individuals.

References:

Agrawal, A. (2016, April 21). What do social media algorithms mean for you? https://www.forbes.com/sites/ajagrawal/2016/04/20/what-do-social-media-algorithms-mean-for-you/#7c517486a515