The authors examine the social effects of rating features on Reddit (a platform where users upvote or downvote posts and comments) using data from three large subreddits. Rating features not only shape algorithmic visibility but also act as evaluative markers that reflect and reinforce conformity with community norms. Through statistical analysis, the authors find that upvotes precede more positive emotional expressions and downvotes precede more negative expressions, suggesting that ratings carry emotional consequences for users. Paradoxically, content that receives negative ratings frequently yields greater engagement than content with positive ratings, highlighting a tension between emotional valence and attention rewards in digital discourse. By conceptualizing ratings through the lens of affordances, the study reveals how seemingly simple design features exert complex social and emotional effects.
From Taylor and Francis