Digital “we”: Human sociality and culture in the era of social media and artificial intelligence.
Giuseppe Riva
Abstract
Human social cognition has evolved in the "we mode," a uniquely human capacity to form shared intentions and collaborate as unified agents. This collective intentionality, rooted in embodied mechanisms such as synchronized behavior, joint attention, interbrain coupling, and emotional attunement, has enabled the open-ended creativity and adaptability that define human culture. However, the rise of social media and artificial intelligence is reshaping these foundational dynamics. This article identifies a dual threat posed by the emergence of a "digital we." First, algorithmically mediated digital communication erodes embodied social cues and reinforces homophily, weakening the neurobiological scaffolding that sustains we mode cognition. Second, the increasing reliance on generative AI in communication and creative domains risks reducing novelty and fostering convergence, thereby narrowing the scope of cultural innovation. These developments are situated within the broader "comfort-growth paradox," the tension between technological systems designed for intuitive, predictable user experiences and the human need for cognitive challenge, ambiguity, and developmental tension. While comfort-driven design maximizes engagement, it may suppress the very dissonance necessary for creativity and growth. As a result, the "digital we" risks cultivating passive familiarity at the expense of dialogical tension and pluralistic meaning-making. To counter this trajectory, the article argues for reimagining digital technologies not as replacements for human connection but as extensions of it. Prioritizing design that fosters discovery, exploration, and critical intersubjectivity is essential for preserving the open-ended, transformative potential of human culture in an age of digital mediation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).