Affective polarisation and emotional distortions on social media

Tanesini, Alessandra ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6250-471X 2022. Affective polarisation and emotional distortions on social media. Philosophy 92 , pp. 87-109. 10.1017/S1358246122000261

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Abstract

In this paper I argue that social networking sites (SNSs) are emotion technologies that promote a highly charged emotional environment where intrinsic emotion regulation is significantly weakened, and people's emotions are more strongly modulated by other people and by the technology itself. I show that these features of social media promote a simplistic emotional outlook which is an obstacle to the development and maintenance of virtue. In addition, I focus on the mechanisms that promote group-based anger and thus give rise to affective polarisation. In the final section, after a discussion of the positive value of some forms of anger, I argue that SNSs should not be designed to prohibit or suppress anger, but that its encouragement should also be avoided. I conclude with a suggestion about how this might be achieved.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	Published
Schools:	English, Communication and Philosophy
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > B Philosophy (General)
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
ISSN:	0031-8191
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	25 March 2022
Date of Acceptance:	7 February 2022
Last Modified:	02 Dec 2024 05:45
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/148557

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