Understanding the Role of Newsfeed Clutter in Stereotype Activation: The Case of Facebook

Social networking sites (SNSs) have increasingly become scenes of deviant behaviors and adverse outcomes. Newsfeed-a central functionality of SNSs-delivers content but often calls for a high number of cognitive resources. Leaning on the S-O-R framework and applying the logic of meaning maintenance theory, we argue that users may experience clutter on the Newsfeed. We propose a novel research model to examine the role of clutter in inducing implicit stereotyping. Qualitative responses illustrate the salience of perceived clutter on the Facebook Newsfeed. Quantitative analysis suggests that perceived disorder is negatively related to stereotype activation measured by Implicit Association Test, and this link is mediated by information overload.