In psychology, Gordon Allport’s Contact Hypothesis states that interpersonal contact reduces prejudice between opposing groups. However, Allport noted that this only works under specific conditions:
- Equal status between participants
- Common goals
- Mutual cooperation
- Clear social norms/institutional support
Social media violates every single one of these conditions. In online spaces, interaction is anonymous, text-based, and lacks body language or facial expressions. Without these humanizing signals, direct contact between hostile factions triggers Negative Contact Theory. Opposing viewpoints are not perceived as invitations to debate; they are perceived as existential threats, resulting in deeper entrenchment and heightened hostility.