Abstract
In an age of recurring crises, from pandemics to climate shocks, social media shapes how events are experienced. Rather than offering neutral information, platforms amplify selective images and narratives that can distort reality.
This essay sets out a three-part framework to explain the psychological impact of such mediation: intolerance of uncertainty, social comparison, and collective sense-making under algorithmic curation. Each process can heighten anxiety by rewarding novelty, emotional intensity, and simplified explanation, while under certain conditions they can also foster resilience. Three cases help understand this process: political misinformation exploits the human need for certainty, aspirational lifestyle content fuels upward comparison, and gender or class debates reveal how collective discussion can either inflame division or build awareness. Across these examples, resilience emerges when individuals apply media literacy and critical reflection, when platforms introduce modest friction and contextual cues, and when small, well-moderated communities prioritize verification and shared understanding.
In general, these findings suggest that while social media often intensifies anxiety during global crises, it can also be reoriented by proper touches to support reflection, solidarity, and adaptive responses.
Keywords: Global crises; Algorithmic curation; Intolerance of uncertainty; Social comparison; Collective sense-making
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