| KEYWORD |
How Social Media Influences Our Sense of Agency
keywords AI, ATTENTION-CAPTURE DESIGN PATTERNS, DIGITAL WELLBEING, SENSE OF AGENCY, SOCIAL MEDIA
Reference persons ALBERTO MONGE ROFFARELLO
Research Groups DAUIN - GR-10 - Intelligent and Interactive Systems - ELITE
Thesis type EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
Description As social media platforms increasingly rely on algorithmic curation and attention-capture design patterns, such as infinite scrolling and neverending autoplay, users may experience a diminished sense of agency over their interactions. These patterns, while designed to maximize engagement, can undermine users' perceived control, raising ethical concerns about their impact on digital autonomy. Although existing studies have highlighted the potential risks of algorithmic feed curation and attention-capture design patterns, little empirical evidence exists regarding how these mechanisms influence users' sense of agency in real-time social media interactions.
This thesis explores the impact of AI-curated recommendations and attention-capture design patterns on users’ sense of agency in social media platforms. The research aims to investigate how these mechanisms affect users' perceived control, particularly in contexts where the platform introduces unexpected content, such as recommended posts or advertisements. By studying different interaction patterns and consumption modes, the thesis will provide insights into optimizing social media design to balance engagement and user autonomy. Operatively, the research will involve the design of a controlled experimental platform to simulate key elements of social media interfaces and assess their impact on user agency through quantitative and qualitative methods.
If satisfactory, the results of the thesis will contribute to HCI research and be released as an open-source framework to inspire ethical design practices in social media development.
Required skills Basic understanding of HCI concepts and programming skills to develop interactive prototypes for both web and mobile platforms.
Deadline 09/12/2025
PROPONI LA TUA CANDIDATURA