Fatal attraction - Homophily The Partisan effect Homophily as we know it Polarization and homophily There are multitudes of factors that contribute to homophily in social media. This includes a desire and tendency to bond (connect) with other individuals who have similar interests, values, and beliefs (Bauer, 2015). Individuals who attract one another with similar values can also gravitate towards those who have similar personalities, likes, dislikes, and are often seen as a reflection of themselves (Retica, 2006). Homophily and social media are interconnected as both influence each other. Platforms are used as places where “like” persons can communicate and bond. Social media platforms create an environment where individuals can...
Birds of a feather flock together… The Desire to feel connected – I heart social media! Propinquity attraction, not fatal attraction! Social Media platforms such as Facebook is found by most of its users as connecting with others and feeling a sense of belonging that is bigger than themselves. One factor that is most common in social media sites is to socially compare themselves with others. The impact of social comparison can be negative or positive, that affect the individual’s emotional well-being. When individuals engage in upward social comparison; feeling connected, there is a negative outcome for those individuals with low self-esteem and can result in depression or increase anxieties. Downward social comparison describes individuals who compare themselves to others who are better than them. Researchers suggest that social media users believe that other users have better lives than themselves and therefore seek to be acc...