We’ve all seen it before. That Instagram post that makes your blood boil, those TikTok comments that make you do a double take, that infuriating Reddit story that’s almost completely unbelievable– yeah, we’re talking about ragebait: online content that’s engineered to get you steaming. With anger being one of the internet’s top cash cows, it’s important to understand the psychology of ragebait; why we feel compelled to engage with it and why we desperately need to reclaim our attention as students.
Let’s start with the basics of affective science. When a person becomes angry, their body increases adrenaline levels, causing a surge of energy needed for either fight or flight. Unfortunately, flight becomes more difficult in the digital realm– especially with online disinhibition in play. The lack of authority, the anonymity, and the asynchronicity of messages are all little factors that encourage people to take action and post whereas no such factors typically exist in the real world.
Furthermore, due to cognitive dissonance, validation, and identity, our sense of duty is often triggered into correcting misinformation when we see it. Upon expressing these angers and concerns, not only does our brain hit us with dopamine, but it also gives us a sense of control and power that leaves us wanting to comment or fight more.
“To control your anger, we might say, change your thinking, and you will eliminate your anger. Or, toward your anger toward ethically rooting out evil like Batman, when triggered, smashing it, like Hulk, using anger for largely personal reasons, like Wolverine, or rising above it like Superman,”says Gregory Bock in his book ‘Ethics of Anger.’
This urge to express one’s self, thoughts, and values also ties into tribal signaling: publicly displayed remarks signaling where an individual stands with certain groups and causes. Online, anyone can follow along with your thread of comments and can chime in at any time with praise or rebukes– and the digital audience is much larger than the physical one.
But despite the perceived control we have when engaging with media, many of us are unaware of just how impotent we are– and that’s due to how the social media algorithm works. The more you engage with any content online– good or bad –the more the algorithm shows you more of that same content in order to keep you engaged and scrolling.
In other words, you think you’re fighting for a good cause but the more you post, comment, and share, the more you’re trapped into seeing the same content you hate– while also monetizing its creator and encouraging the algorithm to share it with others.
Not only has your engagement with ragebait done nothing but fuel it, but it’s likely to cause issues with your mental health, too.
According to psychiatrist Dr.Brad Brenner, prolonged engagement with ragebait may cause issues with sleep, anxiety, guilt, self doubt, and even more.
“The divisive nature of rage bait can spill over into our personal and professional lives. It can create rifts in workplaces, strain family relationships, and, in extreme cases, even lead to physical confrontations,” says Dr.Brenner on his therapy site.
Alongside this, according to some experts including the NIH and APS, ragebait is often linked to burnout, weakening academic performance, and growing distant from others as a result of online interactions.
Furthermore, students who struggle to emotionally regulate themselves while experiencing negative emotions may struggle with disagreeing with others without being hostile, understanding nuance, and needlessly politicizing issues.
But even aside from academics and mental health, anger is known to cause headaches, high blood pressure, and even more dangerous health concerns such as strokes or heart attacks.
Luckily, there are ways to prevent engagement with ragebait and manage anger in healthier ways in order to not only maintain mental health but also to stay on top of assignments and progress.
For starters, being able to recognize ragebait is essential. Exaggerated or extreme headlines and captions, bots/trolls/individuals inciting arguments in the comments, and excessive targeted dark humor are all great indicators that the content you are watching may be ragebait.
The next best thing to do is listen to your body. If you start to feel heated and agitated, consider putting your screen away or engaging with something outside the news or social media.
Curating your feed may also benefit you. Follow content creators that incite genuine discussion, positivity, and community while blocking creators or individuals who disrupt that peace with frustrating comments or skewed content.
Lastly, sometimes connecting with the real world by doing a simple activity such as walking, crochet, or even simple house chores help regulate our emotions while also reminding us there’s a world outside the digital realm.
“Navigating the online world can be a bit like walking through a minefield of emotions. With so much rage bait content around, it’s crucial to look after your mental well-being,” Dr.Brenner says.
It is up to every individual to take responsibility for their emotional well being and for students to ensure they are giving their attention to the right content and people to better their lives– not worsen them.
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