What is The Like Button?
Because you never know how many likes a post will get, you constantly check your phone. This applies the exact same variable reward psychology used in casino slot machines directly to your social life.
Where it comes from
Facebook (2009)
How it hooks you
Exploits variable ratio reinforcement: unpredictable social validation creates a stronger checking habit than predictable feedback would.
What the research shows
Justin Rosenstein, the button's co-creator, later described likes as 'bright dings of pseudo-pleasure' and restricted his own social media use.
How to resist it
Hide like counts with a browser extension, or disable notifications for likes.