Understanding the thoughts and emotions of others can often lead to uncertainty. Interpreting a smile in a conversation, for example, can be challenging. In face-to-face interactions, body language and tone of voice offer clues, but in the digital world, emojis make it even more difficult to decipher emotions. The absence of physical cues adds another layer of complexity.
The extent of vulnerability in online social interactions remains unclear due to the lack of research in this area. Amanda Ferguson, a clinical psychologist at the University of Cambridge, highlights this gap and emphasizes the importance of studying social uncertainty in virtual spaces. Her recent paper is the first of its kind to address this topic.
Ferguson’s work builds upon a 2019 review that examined how people navigate social uncertainty in a systematic manner. For instance, when deciding whether to trust a stranger with money, individuals form initial impressions that are later refined through interactions or information from mutual connections.
Previous research by Oriel FeldmanHall and Amitai Shenhav from Brown University focused solely on face-to-face interactions, highlighting the limited understanding of uncertainty in social contexts. FeldmanHall, a social neuroscientist, points out the lack of research on how people manage uncertainty in online interactions, indicating a significant gap in current knowledge.
2024-05-06 08:45:00
Read more at www.sciencenews.org