About the Research
How Rewired: Generation AI became a holistic study on narcissism, altruism, & in-person social skills.
The World WE Are living in:
Artificial intelligence now mediates much of everyday communication. Social media platforms sort information, predict behavior, and shape attention through algorithmic systems that most users never see and rarely question.
These systems do more than personalize content. They influence how people present themselves, how they listen, how they compare, and how they relate to others. This project examines how those influences affect narcissism, altruism, communication styles, and social skills, and how the impact differs across generations raised in very different digital environments.
The FeEdback Loop:
1. Algorithmic Conditioning
2. Echo Chambers
3. Online Disinhibition Spillover Effect
The Origin:
Rewired: Generation AI grew from personal observation. In everyday interactions, I began to notice a decline in reciprocity and community connection. Conversations felt increasingly one sided, with social comparison often replacing genuine listening and presence. These patterns led me to reflect with my peers on when these shifts began and what might be driving them.
One moment made the question impossible to ignore. After knee surgery, I was unable to drive and asked more than twenty five people if they could take me to a doctor’s appointment just six minutes away. Every request was declined. What might once have been a simple act of care instead revealed how disconnected everyday support had become.
These experiences led me to question whether the rise of social media is influencing how we show up for one another offline. Rewired: Generation AI expands that question across generations, examining how digital systems shape not just what we see online, but how we listen, respond, and care in real life.
How The Research Was Conducted:
This project combines qualitative and quantitative research methods to examine how AI-driven social platforms influence behavior, communication, and connection across generations.
- In-depth interviews with participants from multiple generations to capture lived experiences & personal perspectives.
- Surveys collecting quantitative data on empathy, communication habits, self-presentation, & social behavior.
- Secondary research drawing from media studies, psychology, & technology scholarship.
- Thematic analysis used to identify recurring patterns, contradictions, & generational differences across responses.
- Findings interpreted through the lens of AI-driven systems & algorithmic influence.
Theoretical & Research Foundations:
This study is informed by existing research on:
Social Media Addiction & Attention Economy
Online Disinhibition & Identity Performance
Altrusim, & Empathy Online & Offline
Algorithmic Personalization & Echo Chambers
Algorithmic Filtering & Data Commodification
Narcissism Types & Connection in Digital Spaces
Meet the Researcher
I’m Mel Ritter, a social media strategist with seven years of experience studying and working within digital platforms. My background in business, advertising, brand responsibility, and psychology informs my interest in how algorithms shape identity, communication, and human connection. Through interviews and research across generations, this project explores how social media influences the way we see ourselves and show up for each other offline.