Influenced: The Impact of Social Media on Our Perception

The book "Influenced: The Impact of Social Media on Our Perception" by Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler explores the effects of social media and influencers on our brain and behavior. It reveals that our addictive reliance on social media is having a significant impact on how we think, feel, and perceive everything around us, and even how we react to stimuli. Brain scans show that our brains light up with every buzz, ding, alert, and ring in anticipation of how our network is responding to us. The book includes interviews with top influencers, the latest studies, and pop-culture anecdotes to highlight these effects.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 01 January 2023
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Individuals seeking to widen their tribes of friends, fans, and followers have an abundance of resources for building their digital footprints and social media popularity. All of this seems well and good from the perspective of revenue, exposure, and perhaps ego-building, but what is the impact of this on the human brain and our behavior? Is anyone paying attention to the lurking side effects of the social media influencer revolution?

As “Dr. Brian” Boxer Wachler—one of the world's most esteemed authorities on human perception—reveals in Influenced: The Impact of Social Media on Our Perception, we are oblivious to the mental evolution that is already in process. Science is proving that our addictive reliance upon social media and its influencers is having a demonstrable impact on how we think, feel, and perceive everything around us—and even how we react to stimuli. One might think that a “Like” is nothing more than a split-second tap on a device. However, brain scans tell a different story. Our brains literally light up with every buzz, ding, alert, and ring in anticipation of how our network is responding to us. As we tap away at our devices, we anxiously seek the approval of others—often people we don't know.

Influenced unpacks what happens to our brains and our behaviors each time we click “Like”; follow an influencer; consume a video; share or reshare an article; post or repost a photograph; write a comment; pile on a trend; just scroll for new content; and why do we keep coming back for more. Dr. Boxer Wachler includes his own social and medical findings and highlights them with interviews with influencers, celebrities, and everyday people who have been affected by social media in profound ways.

The book also delves into the psychological mechanisms that drive our addiction to social media, including the release of dopamine and the need for validation and approval. It explores the ways in which social media has changed the way we communicate, the way we form relationships, and the way we perceive ourselves and others.

Ultimately, Influenced is a wake-up call to anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed, anxious, or disconnected from the world around them. It offers a roadmap for navigating the digital landscape while preserving our mental and emotional well-being. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the impact of social media on our lives and the world we live in.

Weight: 513g
Dimension: 218 x 148 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781538164198