The Effects of Social Feedback Through the "Like" Feature on Brain Activity: A Systematic Review.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review of non-randomized laboratory neuroimaging and observational studies (graded by design analogy).
PubMed 39791696 · doi:10.3390/healthcare13010089
What was done
A systematic review conducted following PRISMA guidelines to evaluate the neural correlates of online social feedback (the "like" feature) on brain activity using fMRI and EEG.
What was found
The review synthesized 11 studies comprising 504 participants. Positive feedback ("likes") activated reward-processing brain structures including the nucleus accumbens (NACC), ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), and amygdala; NACC activation correlated with increased social media use intensity. Negative feedback activated the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC) and left medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Behavioral data showed positive feedback influenced subsequent social interactions. Specific effect sizes, test statistics, and variance measures were not reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
It outlines the neurobiological mechanisms underlying social media engagement, demonstrating that digital "likes" recruit traditional neural reward networks associated with reinforcement and dependency.
Limits
The aggregate sample size is modest (11 studies, 504 participants across both fMRI and EEG). The abstract notes inconsistencies and disparities across the existing literature and indicates that key moderating variables—such as participant sex, personality traits, and feedback source—remain unclarified. No formal quantitative meta-analysis was reported.
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