# The Uses and Gratifications Theory The uses and gratifications theory is a theory in mass communications that states that **people are more likely to read articles that reinforce their point of view, thus making them more susceptible to [[Confirmation Bias]].** This is a negative aspect of human nature as we have to actively engage in the process of changing our own mind. We not only have to admit to ourselves we were wrong, but also have to resist inertia as well. ## In Social Media A good modern day example of this is in social media. **Take Facebook for instance. The principal goal of its algorithms is to present users with posts they will most likely interact with, and as we rarely interact with posts we disagree with they tend to be pushed out by those we like** (pun intended). **With Facebook actively trying to be ‘useful’ by serving content users like, it increases their ‘gratification’ because most people turn to Facebook for socialization with like-minded people (haters seek the company of other haters; they don’t go looking for a real debate)**. Even common social media lore advises us to engage in discussions with like-minded people only, avoiding any difference of opinion lest we be labeled as trolls. As a consequence, any differences from the *local* norm are suppressed. It’s a perfect environment for confirmation bias. But is it anything new? On the one hand it clearly is, but how did we socialize before the advent of social media? We proactively chose which friends to spend our time with, which clubs to join and where to hang out based on where we felt the most comfortable, and like-mindedness is, well, comforting. We still do all of that, the difference is that in addition to our own proactive selection one is implicitly made for us by Facebook based on our past preferences. The results are still the same (provided the algorithm is accurate).