Why we like to share on social media

Who is it really for, when you share pictures of your party, your dancing children or your pretty cupcakes on social media? Is it for your friends and family, or is it really just for you? Jocelyn de Kwant asked herself this question.

“Most people share videos and photos because they really love sharing a nice experience,” explains Dutch media psychologist Mischa Coster. “But in the background, all kinds of processes are taking place that also influence your behavior. The human need for social approval, for example. A need for confirmation. Often it’s subconscious, 
but it does play a role.”

“Coster explains that getting ‘likes’ generates a small dopamine boost in your body, and that creates a nice feeling. “The remarkable thing is that the anticipation of getting ‘likes’ produces a higher level of euphoric hormones than actually getting them, so that no matter what happens the reality is always a bit disappointing,” he says. “And there are more mind games like that going on behind the scenes.”

Just Like Vegas

People are social animals, and social media provides for a social need, Coster says. We don’t even think about it very much. But if you engage with these media full on, you can even become dependent on those ‘likes’ and may need them to feel good about yourself. Then people will do things, purely for the sake of the picture. Young people in particular are vulnerable to this, but adults are not immune either.