Social media has rapidly become a pervasive force in the lives of young adults, leading to rising mental health issues, increased self-harm—especially among young females—and documented changes in brain development. Multifaceted legislative action and early intervention are urgently needed to…
Cognitive dissonance is a cornerstone concept in social psychology that reveals how humans reconcile conflicting thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors. Coined by Leon Festinger in 1957, cognitive dissonance theory explains why individuals experience discomfort when holding two or more contradictory cognitions…
Social media echo chambers—environments where users are predominantly exposed to like-minded perspectives—significantly reinforce existing beliefs, amplify political and social polarization, and engender distinct behavioral shifts across populations. Understanding Echo Chambers An echo chamber describes an online environment in which users…
