By skyforbes 
Unveiling the Effects of Reels and TikTok on the Brain
The original article explored the idea that we’re becoming real-life versions of the characters in WALL-E — gliding through life in assisted vehicles, eyes locked onto screens that deliver endless entertainment. It remains our most-read piece, still ranking #1 on Google for its target keywords two years after publication
Ideological Framing
On social media, ideological framing is the process by which individuals or groups use short-form content to rapidly and effectively shape a user’s worldview. This goes beyond traditional politics and can apply to any belief system. The content works by delivering emotionally charged messages that bypass our critical thinking and go directly to our emotions, which are processed much faster than logic. This makes viewers more susceptible to persuasion and less likely to question the information presented.
The brevity of short-form content provides the brain with a simplified, easily digestible worldview, conditioning it to seek out these “cognitive shortcuts” and making it less tolerant of complex, nuanced information. This effect is compounded by algorithms that feed users a constant stream of similar videos, creating a powerful feedback loop. This constant repetition acts as a form of neural reinforcement, strengthening the brain’s pathways for a particular idea and making it feel like an undeniable truth rather than a mere opinion. You can begin to see how this becomes dangerous when you consider that millions of people spend hours a day on these platforms, forming these unsolicited and almost baseless opinions!
For the end user, this dynamic can lead to a reactive mindset where opinions are formed based on a series of short, emotional stimuli rather than careful consideration. The result is a highly polarized environment where genuine debate is replaced by a cycle of affirmation and rejection, and the user’s ability to engage in critical thinking can be significantly altered.
The Parasocial Relationship in the Age of TikTok
Parasocialization on TikTok is a psychological phenomenon where users develop a one-sided, intimate relationship with a content creator. The brain, which is wired to form social bonds, is tricked by the constant stream of personal, vlog-style videos into believing a genuine friendship is forming. Watching a creator’s “day in the life” or a “get ready with me” video releases a small hit of dopamine, creating a rewarding feedback loop that reinforces this sense of connection.
This illusion of intimacy is further amplified by the platform’s interactive features. Liking or commenting on a video can make a user feel “seen” and validated, even though the creator is completely unaware of them as an individual. Over time, this can lead to a blurring of the line between reality and the curated online persona. The brain, having invested emotional energy into this one-sided relationship, may begin to feel a sense of ownership or entitlement over the creator’s life. This can result in users developing strong opinions about a creator’s personal choices and can contribute to online harassment when the creator’s actions don’t align with the persona they’ve built. It’s a relationship built on lies essentially!
This feeling is often reinforced by the interactive nature of social media. When a creator responds to a comment or addresses their audience directly, it validates the viewer’s emotional investment, making the one-sided relationship feel reciprocal. In fact, creators even have an incentive to respond to comments which propels the relationship to elevated levels.
However, this dynamic often leads to misplaced expectations. Viewers may develop a sense of entitlement, feeling they have a right to dictate the creator’s life or express strong disapproval when the creator’s actions don’t align with the persona they’ve constructed. The perceived closeness is real for the viewer, but the relationship itself remains a one-way street.
This dissonance between the viewers belief and reality is another symptom or effect of reels and short form content consumption.
References
Bail, C. A., et al. (2018). Exposure to opposing views on social media can increase political polarization. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Carr, N. (2010). The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains. W. W. Norton & Company.
Horton, D., & Wohl, R. R. (1956). Mass Communication and Para-social Interaction: Observations on Intimacy at a Distance. Psychiatry, 19(3).
Jamieson, K. H. (2017). The Role of Emotional Appeals in Political Persuasion. The Oxford Handbook of Political Communication.
Swing, E. L., et al. (2010). Television Viewing and Young Children’s Executive Function: The Role of Pace and Character Engagement. Pediatrics, 126(3).
Taddicken, M. (2014). The Saliency of Social Media: The Effects of Social Media use on Political Information Processing. Journalism, 15(7).
Wang, J., et al. (2022). The Psychological Mechanism of Short-form Video Addiction: An Investigation into the Role of Dopamine Reward System. Journal of Behavioral Addictions.
How to Fix This?
At Asycd, we are strong supporters of people going out and trying to learn more about the internet, algorithms because they are such big parts of our life now.
The only solution to this problem is education.
We have been sharing content on these topics since our inception in 2022. Check out our articles but more importantly, do your own research! Research and academic literature is filled with studies discussing and investigating the impact of short form content on the brain.
We all have a responsibility to make sure we stay informed and aware of how these platforms are shaping society.
Thanks for reading and be sure to check out our other content if you found this interesting😅