Why do you think that only fools sit on the Internet

Hand on heart, admit that sometimes you get annoyed because of the stupidity of the people you communicate with online. As American scientists have found out, it is quite normal for a modern person to ask the question "Why do you have to deal only with idiots in social networks".

The scientific journal Psychological Science published the results of the study, which was conducted by psychologists from the University of Chicago, the University of California, and the Berkeley Research Center. Experts in the field of psychology set out to find out how the perception of information is related to the way it is presented.

The fact that what is said personally is much better absorbed by a person than what is read, no one will dare to dispute. This applies equally to information on paper and on electronic media. This feature of the human brain has long been used in education and many educational programs are based on this approach.

It turns out that when receiving oral information, opponents are more willing to listen to someone else's opinion. In general, people were more tolerant of the opposite point of view than when reading information from a sheet or screen of an electronic device. After listening to the speaker, the participants of the experiment often agreed with his reasoning, and reading — usually perceived them negatively or criticized them.

Dr. Juliana Schroeder from Berkeley, who led the study, said that this is due to the fact that when we read something, we subconsciously do not associate it with the author, his human essence. This is what causes frequent disputes, the so-called "holivars", in social networks and forums.Without seeing the interlocutor, a person is inclined to consider him more stupid than he really is. It also plays a big role that during a correspondence dispute, its participants often lack the information that a person usually receives using non-verbal channels. Facial expressions, gestures, intonation and gaze help to convey the idea more fully to the opponent. Without access to these elements, we often misinterpret the meaning of the message.

Juliana Schroeder believes that the results of the study sowed anxiety in her soul. Today, when we communicate more often online than in person, the risk of increasing dehumanization and polarization of society is higher than ever.

Summing up the above, it is worth giving all users of the network a useful tip. If somewhere on Facebook or Vkontakte you have a serious quarrel with someone and your interlocutor offers to meet and sort it out, then you should not refuse! Dr. Schroeder has already scientifically proved that when you meet, you have a chance to defend your case, operating with facts, gesturing and making a serious face.