Yuan Ying, Shi Yin, Su Ti, Zhang HanXuan
School of Journalism and Communication, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
Front Psychol. 2025 Aug 1;16:1563592. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1563592. eCollection 2025.
With the pervasive integration of big data algorithms into daily life, individuals increasingly rely on algorithmic filtering to access information of interest, yet simultaneously face the risk of confinement within "information cocoons." This study examines how algorithmic awareness influences people's attitudes toward online information browsing.
Using a 2 × 2 mixed design (algorithmic awareness × browsing purpose), this study reveals the mediating roles of perceived power and internal control. Participants performed simulated information-seeking tasks where all content was randomly presented (eliminating actual algorithmic bias). Mediating roles of perceived power and internal control were analyzed using PROCESS macro.
Algorithmic awareness significantly increases people's compliance, especially when they browse online information with a certain purpose, despite all information in the experiment being presented randomly. Algorithmic awareness increases people's sense of power and internal control over information, which, in turn, increases algorithmic compliance behavior.
Results reveal that algorithmic awareness reshapes user behavior through psychological empowerment, even in algorithm-neutral environments. By studying the influencing factors of mobile new media users' compliance and resistance to algorithms, this study is helpful in assisting users to eliminate their state of technological unconsciousness and achieve good algorithmic use.
随着大数据算法在日常生活中的广泛应用，人们越来越依赖算法过滤来获取感兴趣的信息，但同时也面临被困在“信息茧房”中的风险。本研究探讨算法意识如何影响人们对在线信息浏览的态度。
本研究采用2×2混合设计（算法意识×浏览目的），揭示了感知权力和内部控制的中介作用。参与者执行模拟信息搜索任务，所有内容均随机呈现（消除实际算法偏差）。使用PROCESS宏分析感知权力和内部控制的中介作用。
算法意识显著提高了人们的依从性，尤其是当他们带着特定目的浏览在线信息时，尽管实验中的所有信息都是随机呈现的。算法意识增强了人们对信息的权力感和内部控制感，进而增加了算法依从行为。
结果表明，即使在算法中立的环境中，算法意识也会通过心理赋权重塑用户行为。通过研究移动新媒体用户对算法的依从性和抗性的影响因素，本研究有助于帮助用户消除技术无意识状态，实现良好的算法使用。
