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Triggered by Design: How Algo rithmic Features of Social Media Disrupt Emotions and Academic Outcomes

Yaochen, Lin LU and Van Der Blom, Jasper (2025) INFM10 20251
Department of Informatics
Abstract (Swedish)
This thesis investigates how algorithmically driven features of social media platforms, specifi cally personalized recommendations, infinite scroll, auto-play and push notifications affect university students’ emotional states and academic performance. Drawing on the Stimulus - Organism - Response (SOR) framework, the study explores how these features act as digital stimuli that provoke cognitive and emotional responses, which in turn shape behavioural out comes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven students from Swedish Univer sities, and the findings reveal that algorithmic features contribute to various emotional dis tresses: factors that ultimately impair students’ focus, study routines, and well-being. Notably, the... (More)
This thesis investigates how algorithmically driven features of social media platforms, specifi cally personalized recommendations, infinite scroll, auto-play and push notifications affect university students’ emotional states and academic performance. Drawing on the Stimulus - Organism - Response (SOR) framework, the study explores how these features act as digital stimuli that provoke cognitive and emotional responses, which in turn shape behavioural out comes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven students from Swedish Univer sities, and the findings reveal that algorithmic features contribute to various emotional dis tresses: factors that ultimately impair students’ focus, study routines, and well-being. Notably, the research identifies a synergistic effect between infinite scroll and personalized recommen dations, where the combination of endless content flow and relevance optimization produces a heightened state of cognitive absorption and time distortion. While previous literature has ex amined these features individually, this study highlights the compounded impact of their inter action. By offering qualitative insight into user experience and design driven behavioural con sequences, the thesis contributes to a more nuanced understanding of algorithmic influence on student life and emphasizes the importance of addressing feature ecosystems in digital well being interventions. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Yaochen, Lin LU and Van Der Blom, Jasper
supervisor
organization
course
INFM10 20251
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
Social Media, Algorithms, SOR framework, Academic Performance, Emotional Reactions
language
English
additional info
Main correction done as suggested by grading teachers (fixing typos)
id
9203490
date added to LUP
2025-06-19 21:37:33
date last changed
2025-06-19 21:37:33
@misc{9203490,
  abstract     = {{This thesis investigates how algorithmically driven features of social media platforms, specifi cally personalized recommendations, infinite scroll, auto-play and push notifications affect university students’ emotional states and academic performance. Drawing on the Stimulus - Organism - Response (SOR) framework, the study explores how these features act as digital stimuli that provoke cognitive and emotional responses, which in turn shape behavioural out comes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven students from Swedish Univer sities, and the findings reveal that algorithmic features contribute to various emotional dis tresses: factors that ultimately impair students’ focus, study routines, and well-being. Notably, the research identifies a synergistic effect between infinite scroll and personalized recommen dations, where the combination of endless content flow and relevance optimization produces a heightened state of cognitive absorption and time distortion. While previous literature has ex amined these features individually, this study highlights the compounded impact of their inter action. By offering qualitative insight into user experience and design driven behavioural con sequences, the thesis contributes to a more nuanced understanding of algorithmic influence on student life and emphasizes the importance of addressing feature ecosystems in digital well being interventions.}},
  author       = {{Yaochen, Lin and Van Der Blom, Jasper}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Triggered by Design: How Algo rithmic Features of Social Media Disrupt Emotions and Academic Outcomes}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}