Social Networking: The New Love Drug

Does social networking feel like falling in love? According to Neuroeconomist Paul Zak it does. Zak performed an experiment where he measured the levels of oxytocin, the hormone attached to affection, trust and generosity, in the blood while a test subject used Twitter to communicate with friends and strangers.

His findings were two-fold. He found that oxytocin spikes about 13.2 percent, which is roughly equivalent to the spike felt by a groom at a wedding. This indicates that the brain is reacting to social networking the way it would react to live, in-person connections and relationships. The spike in oxytocin also causes cortisol and ACTH, stress hormones, to decrease and that could lead to reduced risk for heart disease.

Now when someone teases you for your Facebook or Twitter addiction you can tell them you’re not addicted, you’re simply in love and it’s good for your health! Or, on second thought, don’t say that or your inner geek might show.

However, the experiment doesn’t end there. Zak had done previous research into the effects of increased oxytocin on human behaviors like donating money. He found that increased oxytocin consistently leads to an increased feeling of generosity and test subjects often ended up giving more money to others in a simulated situation.

As these implications are paired, possibilities begin to spring forth. Social networking increases oxytocin + oxytocin increases the likelihood of spending or giving away money = doesn’t it stand to reason that companies and non-profit organizations should get involved in social networking?

Fast Company sums it up well:

“Neuroeconomist Paul Zak has discovered, for the first time, that social networking triggers the release of the generosity-trust chemical in our brains. And that should be a wake-up call for every company.” (via fastcompany.com)

 
photo credit: Tech Crunch

One conclusion that can be drawn is something many of us have been saying all along, it’s just now supported by scientific study:

“One day, a company might be better off asking not what its margins are, but what its trust factor is,’ says Brian Singh, founder of Zinc Research, a social media and marketing research firm in Calgary, Alberta. Singh has begun framing the formation of connections via social networking as a form of "digital oxytocin." The idea is that if businesses wish to thrive in our interconnected world, where consumers' opinions spread at the speed of light, they must act as a trusted friend: create quality products, market them honestly, emphasize customer care." (via fastcompany.com)

We’ve seen countless case studies of companies using social media to increase “loyalty” to their brand by building relationships including Southwest Air, Zappos, Best Buy, etc. It was thought that the “like” factor was simply customers relating to certain companies better. Instead, it all traces back to a chemical brain reaction that occurs when we interact with other people online, even when that “person” is really an organization. We're essentially social creatures and being social makes us, well, happier. Apparently, the happier we are the more we want to spread that happiness around. Rinse and repeat.

So how can you have a successful business?

• Make a good product/service
• Create relationships with your customers
• Treat them well, be trustworthy
• They'll be generous
• Use social media to solidify and amplify that dynamic

Simple right?

About the Author: Katie VanDomelen

As social media manager Van Domelen develops strategic social media campaigns for a variety of local, national and international Off Madison Ave clients. In addition, she leads social media training for several of these clients and manages ongoing projects and campaign implementation. Most recently, Van Domelen worked as the social content manager at another top local digital marketing agency.

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