How AI Algorithms Shape Cognition and Consumption: The Psychological Mechanisms and Economic Behaviors of Online Hate Speech
Authors
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Hao Zhang
*
Department of Media and Communication Studies, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55121/jbep.v1i2.963Abstract
AI has become a popular approach for increasing communication frequency and advancing online marketing. This emerging technology has shaped cognitive conceptions and decision-making behaviors, as it has been utilized by an increasing number of the public, especially those who purchase items on various social media platforms. Meanwhile, those messages with aggressive and hateful speech were magnified and then influenced the psychological mechanism and the way they make an online purchase decision. This article is presented as a conceptual short communication that develops a behavioral-economics mechanism framework to explain how the algorithmic amplification of hate speech distorts young users’ cognitive patterns, identity dynamics, and consumption behavior. Key mechanisms such as algorithmic filtering, cognitive-emotional bias, and identity-driven economic behavior have been identified. Based on this, this paper extracts three propositions to clarify the core mechanisms linking algorithmic hate speech and adolescent consumer behavior, and provides a comparative analysis using three representative social media platforms as case studies. This paper argues that the importance of this topic lies in its status as a crucial frontier across psychological perspectives, behavioral economics, and communication studies. By offering a structured perspective, this short communication highlights implications for platform governance, policymaking, and corporate risk management. This brief communication appeals to corresponding strategies for the governance of platforms, social policymakers, and companies to build a healthier, more rational, and sustainable digital economy.
Keywords:
Algorithm AI, Hate Speech, Cognitive Patterns, Behavioral Economics, Consumption DecisionsReferences
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